


We Are The Nine

by Lightbringer34



Series: We Used to be Heroes [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Character Study, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:47:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 128,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26022157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightbringer34/pseuds/Lightbringer34
Summary: The Nine Titans of YMIR helped forge the Eldian Empire, caused its collapse, and both built and assaulted the island of Paradis. But the Nine Titans have existed for over a thousand years and have changed hands many times. They can think for themselves and rarely, can speak for themselves, if not with words.Here is the story of Attack on Titan from the perspective of the Nine Titan Powers themselves. Starting from the very beginning.(Spoilers for the Manga up until Ch 131)
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Annie Leonhart, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager, OG Ymir, Reiner Braun & Bertolt Hoover & Annie Leonhart
Series: We Used to be Heroes [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888741
Comments: 177
Kudos: 203
Collections: My Favorite AOT Fics





	1. YMIR: Nameless, Voiceless, Unwilling.

**Author's Note:**

> So there are hints that the Nine Titans have personalities of their own, behavioral tendencies their Shifters fall into and we've seen in-story. The Jaw Titan is willing to take risks and often sacrifice itself for the other Shifters. Armin sees the Colossal Titan cry, while Eren Kruger says the Attack Titan loves freedom (Thanks a lot Jager). Beyond that, who knows?
> 
> Don't worry, things will clear up once the Titans get individual bodies. It's not normally my cup of tea, but the 13-yr time limit means teenagers will probably have Before I Die sex a lot more often.

They remember nothing before Mother. They were nothing before Mother. Before YMIR.

There was water, cold and thick, pouring into Mother’s lungs, drowning her, killing her. There were wounds, lifeblood mixing with the water, weakening her, killing her. There was fear and pain, and a dull acceptance that her life would end. But beneath that was something beyond the beatings, the pain, the conditioning by men with cruel eyes and crueler hands. YMIR did not want to die. If YMIR did not want to die, then neither did They.

Lightning, blinding and limitless in its potential, flowed down from the clear blue sky in search of the one who was many who had brought it forth. It raced down through the ancient redwood, boiling sap, shattering branches, and sending wooden shrapnel flying into the air and earth alike. It did not stop until the tendrils of energy reached the small, weakened dying body of the girl YMIR and folded her into its many arms.

Suddenly the girl was in a vast desert, in a darkened empty sky. There was no moon, no stars, and the girl was even more frightened. But then, as her hands scrabbled in the dark, clutching at grains of sand, light bloomed in the darkness for the first time. Paths of blue and green energy crackled from YMIR’s eyes, her shoulders, her sandals, turning the sand around her to glass even as it reached up into the sky with a beatific sigh of joy and relief. She watched in stupefied awe as the Paths anchored themselves in the sky and in the back of their minds, every living Eldian felt a jolt as a tree seared itself across their vision in dark spots before it faded from the waking world.

They came to her then, invisible, almost empty, formless and without purpose. YMIR looked around in fright as she felt Them circling her, but the spirits were not hostile. _What do you want?,_ they asked gently. _How can we help you?_

The girl had been taught not to speak unless spoken to and never, never to speak her mind unless her Master wished it in a passing fancy. And even then, she had learned pretty lies were what questioners wanted to hear. Thank you for humbling me Master. I’m so grateful for the food Master. Your bed is warm Master. But the voices were not her Master. She didn’t know what they were, so she asked. “What are you?”

There was silence in the desert, devoid even of wind. _We do not know. You will shape us. That is all we know, without knowing. How can we help you? What do you desire?_

YMIR did not know, would not allow herself to know, because that way she wouldn’t dare to hope. Hope only lead to disappointment and often, pain. But the voices were inside her now as they sifted through the girl’s soul. Pain, from the lash, the fist, the hammer, or the bedchamber. Endurance of the pain. Awe and wonder at the beauty of the world, spoiled by the cruelty of Man. Hope, fleeting, fragile, but buried beneath the disappointment and pain. Below even that, so small even YMIR did not know it was there, was a black kernel of rage. A longing for destruction, to be bigger, stronger, to never be afraid again.

_Fascinating_ said one voice as long hair sprouted from longer arms.

 _Disgusting_ said the second as it hefted a massive hammer.

 _We can help_ said the third as it surrounded the girl and itself in armored plates.

 _We must help_ , said the fourth as a beautiful woman bent and offered YMIR a small crystal.

 _We must destroy_ growled the fifth as green eyes glared out from behind growing walls of muscle.

 _We must protect_ said the sixth as flashed jagged teeth and long claws.

 _We must observe_ said the seventh as it prepared to endure existence.

 _We must inspire awe_ said the eighth as it bulged up from the remains of the tree, trailing thick clouds of steam.

 _We shall be unassailable_ said the ninth, as they drew the others close around YMIR and drew her into the light of the Paths.

Beautiful in its complexity, monstrous in its form, YMIR, the first Titan Shifter reared above the trees and roared its challenge to the world. Mother would live. She had desired it, so they had granted her wish. She had desired many other things as well, things the Nine did not yet understand, because sometimes she did not understand. But each took their portion, their shard of emotion and thought from a dying girl to become the core of their existence.

They watched from within her as the giant stumbled back to the fortified village, crushing trees and one terrified horseman beneath her feet. The giant with the face of a skull stopped when she reached the gate and collapsed to the terror of the inhabitants before a small girl clambered her way out to resume her chores. This time, she made sure the pigpen was locked. For a time, all were sure the giant had been a dream, a freak occurrence or simply God testing them. Still, the horseman who had shot her with an arrow was dead, so the girl was allowed to resume her duties, just in case. The Nine were roused again two weeks later when the girl was too slow with a jug of wine, so her Master struck her. His heavy ring opened a cut on her forehead and as she stumbled, he ordered her to pick it up. Lightning blasted the roof and most of the stone wall to rubble as a massive armored hand tipped with claws grew from YMIR’s arm. At first King Fritz feared she would crush him, but the arm only held the earthen jug up between its massive fingers, presenting it to him. It was no accident.

So, the Nine, YMIR, and the petty Eldian King slowly learned together what YMIR could do, what she could become. Blood and will were the catalyst, and the Nine could not touch the Paths without them, could not draw down the energy collected from every Eldian that was or will be. The green-eyed aspect of YMIR was pleased, for blood signaled that something was wrong, that something had to change. The armored and fanged aspects saw the blood as a sign their protection was needed. The others were more interested in Will.

So many of the beings around Mother had will, they desired things, they sought them out of their own accord, and gloried in the presence of food, shelter, gold, flesh, or simple survival after a battle. But Mother did not. Her will was a brief, flickering candle that only burned brighter when her Master ordered it, but she spoke no commands of her own, for all her power. Some of the Nine wished she would, but she never did, while others assumed this was simply one of Mother’s special qualities. The long-armed aspect suggested perhaps Mother was no longer troubled by physical desires, now that the King had taken her under his protection. She was clothed warmly, and ate regularly, after all. She shared his bed and became his queen. The crystal will, the armored will, and the colossal will found this doubtful, but they had no suggestions either. After all, they served Mother, and if Mother simply desired to serve the King, then it was their purpose too.

Soon the King tired of testing Mother’s limits and he gathered his people and YMIR went to war. This was a new part of their existence, something Mother’s memories had told them about, but YMIR had only been a captured slave who’d lost her tongue. She knew soldiers killed people, set fire to villages, and dragged others into secluded spots as they screamed. Now YMIR was a soldier, her vast feet crushing enemy formations, her claws sundering metal gates, her armor sheltering her from endless rains of arrows and spears. All at the King’s behest, when he stoked her flickering will and she called the lightning down in turn. The Nine had very mixed feelings about war, even as it took up more and more of their time with Mother. Soon, spears began to find their mark in unarmored flesh, and arrows put out eyes. Mother was in pain, a grievous pain she would not survive without her children, so the Nine went to work. They formed Mother’s massive body out of sand and dust, so each wound she suffered merely required another handful of silt to repair. Minor works, sufficient that the Wills could do so themselves in the endless time of the Paths desert.

But then…

The King had ordered Mother to attack the fortified city of Marlejois, and Mother obeyed, but the city had heard of YMIR’s coming and prepared. Vast catapults launched flaming rocks high, high into the sky and Mother lost her and the unarmored skin of her chest. A vast hidden blade along the wall took her fingers, and Mother withdrew with a cry of pain and blood. The Wills examined the wounds on the sandy body beside them. It was too much for them to fix alone, they required Mother’s help. So YMIR found herself in the desert once more, frozen in time or simply beyond it. The Wills apologized, even the green-eyed one, and said they needed her hands to help pack the sand. After all, they were a few wounds and even a child could roll sausage fingers out of clay or smooth sand over a destroyed cheek. Then Mother was gone, her mind and will returned to the body she inhabited without a moment lost. The furry Will and the hammer-wielding Will approved. This was much faster than moving each grain of sand themselves and hardly bothered Mother at all. Look, the gates had already fallen! After all, if Mother did not wish to fix herself, they would not force her.

The years rolled on and most of the wars ended. Soon the hammer-wielding Will and the enduring Will discovered they could create things besides Mother’s body. The King directed Ymir to build roads, fashion bridges, and carve open mountains. The Wills found this work pleasing and certainly less noisy than the war had been, so more of them were happy than not. The green-eyed will and the armored will began to sulk as their talents were called upon less and less by Mother.

But then, the King commanded YMIR to bear him children and took her to his bed more often and the Wills were curious. Would Mother create new Wills along with new life? Would they pass into the children, diminishing in number within YMIR? Would copies of the Wills manifest in the children? The furred Will and the Woman-Will with the crystal found this all terribly interesting, while most of the other Wills saw little need for physical form within the desert of the Paths. After all, only Mother could speak with them, and she knew they were there. But as Mother grew fat-bellied and heavy, angry and tearful in turns as moods struck her, as her breasts became heavy with milk, the Wills watched with interest as the Will which had decided it was also female, formed itself a body over many months of time, in silent solidarity with Mother.

The first birth was difficult for all of them, even the Wills. There was blood and the desire to push this squirming, mewling, painful thing from her, but the King hadn’t ordered her to transform, so YMIR suffered. Some of the Wills thought they could help in some way, that they could ease the birth by altering Mother. They built her body, so why could they not alter this one? The female Will, who was now The Woman, pointed out that despite seeing the insides of so many soldiers, they still did not know if Mother was different. Even if Mother was hurting now, even if she had always been hurting, they could not fix everything. So even though soldiers cast worried looks up at the flickering sky, and thunder rumbled across the land that day, YMIR delivered her first daughter as the King clutched her hand in his iron grip and told her to rest.

The Wills silently clustered around the child in curiosity, for they could feel this one was different. This human had come from Mother, and it held some quiet spark of potential, hidden inside it. Perhaps the Wills could make the babe like Mother, but they knew not how. More tests followed, and more children, as the King worked to cement his Eldian Empire, with its nine-pointed star. But the Wills could sense Mother was unhappy. When a man stepped forward with a spear and targeted the King, YMIR stepped between them to receive the blow and the pain. The Wills readied themselves to bring Mother into the Paths desert, to help her bring up sand to repair the hole, to heal her. But for the first time, Mother’s will was absent. She did not want them to heal her. She wanted to feel this one last pain and then she wanted to die.

The Colossal Will, the Fanged Will, and the Armored Will crouched close. The others would not approve, but just this once, they took the pain away. Mother died, only to appear in the desert of the Paths, as young as the day she met the Wills, when she’d nearly drowned. The Wills would have been confused, but something was pulling them away, away from Mother, into the shining tree that marked the Paths of the Eldians. They flew in nine directions and they wondered at it as lightning crackled across the branches of the tree and for the first time, nine stars appeared in the sky.

Three of the Wills opened tear-stained eyes and tasted blood and meat on their tongue as they devoured Mother’s body at the King’s urging, while other Wills found themselves scattered across the new Eldian nation in every form. Two were in babes, one was in a child, and the rest of the Wills were in adults.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Woman was the first to realize what had happened. She had built a body of her own after all inside the Paths, had marked herself as something different from the other Wills in form and identity. But when the King’s oldest daughter pricked her finger with a needle, the Woman who was still a Will found herself before Mother again. They both felt the call of the lightning and the tree crackled behind them, for the Will and the blood were there. But now, the Nine were on their own. They could not build a body together as they used to, even if they knew more about humans insides now. But Mother was in the desert.

_Mother, could you do it? Could you build me a body like the one you had? A woman?_

But YMIR merely sat in the desert and did not react.

_Your daughter calls to you, the King wishes it._

YMIR quietly stood and pulled a bucket from the endless desert as she began to stack sand in the shape of a woman. Though they were frozen in the instant before the lightning came down, it took her a very long time to build the body. _Thank you Mother_ , said the Female Titan. _Thank you for my form._


	2. The Unassailable Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nine Titans gain physical forms and names. One in particular has a very confusing experience.

The Second Daughter held the Unassailable Will and found she could visit her mother in the desert of the Paths. She could ask Mother to do things, to make the Eldians do things. The Second Daughter became the Queen and the King asked her to bring all the Eldians to him, but especially those with YMIR’s gift. Because the King asked it of his daughter, and his daughter asked it of YMIR, the girl walked into the light of the Paths and fulfilled their request.

She found her Wills, now in nine bodies, across the realm, and though she did not speak, they heard her call. Hundreds of Eldians found themselves on the road to the capitol, not knowing why, only knowing they had been called. Soon, nine Eldians bled as they called upon their Queen, and the Queen called to YMIR once more. “Build them bodies, Mother. New bodies to suit their Wills, so the people can see you have not abandoned them. Build them anew whenever we bleed and call out, so our people can be mighty and safe. They wish it, and I wish it, and the King wishes it.”

It took YMIR a long time to build them bodies, but when she was done, it had taken no time at all. Each of the Wills thanked Mother for their new forms. _Thank you Mother. Yes, thank you. Thank you once again Mother._ But none of them had asked what Mother wanted, because for a very long time Mother had not wanted anything at all besides her twin desires: to serve the King and then only to die. The last body she built was for the green-eyed Will and she made him the most terrible of all, but she could not say why. Neither could he, for a very long moment.

The lights of the tree crackled and the green-eyed Will careened across space and time. It saw through hundreds of eyes and howled through hundreds of mouths. It saw vast Titans like itself, but without Will, mindless and desperate, scrabbling for a Will of their own, to find one of the Nine, who would give them identity and purpose again. It saw great heroes and horrible atrocities; it saw beautiful architecture and fleshy abominations. It saw all the ages of history yet to come, year by year, life by life. It moved forward through time and saw swords become halberds, become flintlocks, become rifles and bombs and artillery. It saw its brothers and sisters, in different forms, but always with the same Will. It cried out to them, but they could not see the Green-Eyed Will. It could only see them. It was alone, just like Mother was alone in the desert. It kept advancing until it came upon the end of its road. There was a man there with green eyes and long hair with Mother in the desert. The will knew the man had a name and found it as if it had been there all along.

_Eren Jager._

Eren Jager wanted more than anything else to be free. He wanted to free Mother, and in order for them to be free, he knew they had to attack. The Will clutched the small black ember of hatred it had carried from Mother’s heart. That had happened 2,000 years ago. It was happening right now. It was going to happen. The Green-Eyed Will handed the small black kernel to Eren, who nodded and handed it to YMIR. The will noticed YMIR was crying.

It had never liked it when Mother was in pain.

Eren looked into green eyes so much like his own and smiled. “You are the Attack Titan,” he said. “You will always advance, with Freedom in mind. You will carry my memories back with you, so that one day YMIR will be free."

_Then Mother will no longer be in pain?_

“Yes. She will be free and she will be happy.”

The Attack Titan would do anything to make Mother happy. _I will carry your memories, Eren Jager, First Hunter. I will carry the memories of Grisha Jager, Eren Kruger, Dobold Kruger, and all the others who will bear me down the Paths of history. I will carry your memories forward to you, and you will free Mother._

Eren nodded. “We will keep on moving forward. Until our enemies are destroyed.”

The Attack Titan smiled and there was not a shred of mercy in that expression. It could do that.

Eren Jager disappeared, called back to a world where Walls were waking up, where friends plotted his murder, where he would wreak a great and terrible vengeance upon the world that had created them all. He returned to begin Ragnarok.

The Attack Titan knelt and its vast form patted the head of the little girl who looked up and nodded as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. _See you soon Mother. It’s only 2,000 years._

_________________________

The courtyard was nearly obliterated as nine points of lightning converged and flesh formed from energy alone. The Nine stood together for the first time and knew themselves.

The Coordinate, the Unassailable Titan of Kings.

The Beast Titan, the Savage Avalanche.

The Armored Titan, the Indomitable Survivor.

The Jawed Titan, the Swift Cleaver.

The Female Titan, the Remnant of YMIR.

The Cart Titan, the Enduring Existence.

The Warhammer Titan, the Shapesmith.

The Colossal Titan, the Awe-Inspiring Earthshaker.

And The Attack Titan, the World-Ender.

The Wills knew their Shifters, those who were now connected to Mother by the invisible Paths only one of them could see. They knew they would now obey their Shifters as they had obeyed Mother. Individually they were lesser than Mother had been, but they remained Titans and for now, nothing could touch them. Each of the Shifters was raised into royalty, to marry nobility and to sire children in comfort and wealth as they secured the Eldian Empire.

The Titans served Mother and all save one knew Mother wanted them to obey the King. The King wanted them to obey the holder of the Coordinate and all her descendants. So, the Titans bowed to the Queen as one, as she raised a nine-pointed crown high and placed it on her brow.

Thus began the Eldian Empire, may it reign for a thousand years.

____________________________

The first Attack Titan separate from Mother was named Thomas Voss. He had been a farmer, with a wife and fifty acres, and had been perfectly happy with his life until then. There had been great armies marching past, and it had all seemed glorious, but someone needed to tend the radishes and collect the grain, so he had not gone to war. Now, the Attack Titan showed him the memories it had brought back to him. It showed him his son, devouring his liver to gain the Attack Titan, to move it forward in time. He did not have a son yet, but he would. He would have to.

As the other Titan Shifters moved around in the courtyard, attempted to speak, or compared their new forms, Thomas Voss began to cry inside his prison of meat. The Attack Titan was a little sorry, but in order to make Mother happy and free, it needed Thomas Voss to do a great many things. It needed Thomas Voss to hurt a great many people, but it needed to save a few as well. There was a woman, five thousand, six hundred and two miles away whose great-great granddaughter to the hundred and sixtieth power would be named Annie Leonhardt. This woman needed to survive, and have children, and her children would need to have children. The Attack Titan frowned, though none could tell, because it was already fairly hideous. This was going to be very complicated, even with the memories. In the meantime, it could make sure Voss was as happy as it could make it, which wasn’t much.

___________________________

The Eldian Empire realized the Power of the Titans was going to be complicated when the Second generation of Shifters all died, nearly simultaneously, after thirteen years. Teenagers who had aged beyond their years fell to the floors as their hearts gave out. Titans in the midst of battle simply stopped as their occupants felt their bodies fail them. In the desert of Paths, a girl with a bucket sat back and breathed a small sigh of relief. Time meant nothing here, but she would have a little bit of it until the newest Shifters discovered their power. Then she would have to start building bodies again. Because the King had wished it, she obeyed.

The newest Attack Titan, a twelve-year old boy named Kirkland Voss, received his father’s memories along with the memories of his future daughter and went a bit mad. The Attack Titan itself was only a little annoyed by this, because Mother had given him a complicated task indeed. Still, after a month of gibbering and existential doubt, it gave the second Voss the mental equivalent of a kick in the pants, and directed him to the Capitol. Some of its information needed to spread, if only to make its own job easier. And the Attack Titan was, like all the others, now working in thirteen-year increments. Mother had willed/was willing/would rule it so. None could survive longer than she had, and many would not wish to. Reiner Braun, in particular, but he was a distant concern.

The Royal Family had descended into infighting, mustered armies, and muted terror now the Nine could not be found, for they still knew only a little of the Coordinate's power. So they received the man who proved he was the Attack Titan with some relief. One loyal son of Eldia still held a Titan, so they could soon find the others. Kirkland Voss, in his riding leathers and long green cape, told them of the Curse of YMIR, and what his father had said was the only surefire way to transfer a Titan Power. The Royal Family had him thrown into the dungeon, because they had hoped to be rid of the sordid rumors about their mothers and aunts. Despite their royal status and the power of the Titans, cannibalism made for a poor diplomatic reputation. However, the Kingdom of Eldia had lost all of its Titans and there were reports of unrest in the outlying towns. The armies that had seen the Titans among them fall, had collapsed in turn, and many of their opponents were pressing inward towards the cities with haste.

Kirkland waited in the cell and cast his mind forward one thousand seven hundred years as he enjoyed the memory of a girl’s supple breasts and ice cream that hadn’t been invented yet. The Attack Titan was not completely without mercy, but it found the human obsession with reproduction a distraction. Soon enough, they were freed by nervous-looking guards, and they had the ear of the entire Court. Kirkland Voss asked for eternal emergency dispensation by the Crown to act as he saw fit. He would take some actions that seemed counterintuitive, and his successors might even take actions that amounted to treason, he said to gasps. But it would always be to protect the Eldian Empire and its people, to preserve their freedom. After all, had he not revealed to the King and Queen information vital to the security of the realm, and the preservation of the Nine Titan Powers? Had he not returned first, among all of them, to prove his loyalty? Was he not ready to advance upon the enemies of Eldia at this moment in terrible wrath and fury?

The Crown was not entirely convinced and asked him to rally the other Nine as proof of his loyalty and above all, to swear allegiance to the Unassailable Coordinate, the Founding Titan, the Ruler of Eldia. Kirkland Voss swore his allegiance, but the Attack Titan knelt solely for Mother and roared in the silence of its mind as Voss forced its kneee to the floor and bowed its head. Very well then, let the games begin…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a really hard time coming up with an impressive name for the Cart Titan. It's super useful, but that utility isn't immediately obvious. Still, I'm proud I managed to give them one. The title of The Unassailable Will for the Founding Titan is also pretty cool imo.
> 
> Note: The Female Titan can only be passed down to women, and is adamant about this. Making a man eat the Female Titan does not end well, and the Eldians learn this fairly quickly. The others are less picky, and look upon their sister as, in human parlance, "a bit of a bitch" but she was the one who got the idea for physical separate bodies in the first place, so they cut her some slack. As a result, the other Titans simply take on the gender of whoever is their Shifter and don't much care.
> 
> Also hello Eren. Be nice to your siblings, honestly. Curious to see where that Evil Plan is going, and I really hope Isyama sticks the landing on the ending.


	3. The State of Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nine Titans worry about possible violence in the future

After seven years, two wars, and a hurricane from the south, the Eldian Empire was finally stable once again. Kirkland Voss, the Uniter, was much lauded by the Court and was looked upon favorably by his comrades, even as the Curse of Ymir made a man of twenty-five look as wrinkled and exhausted as a man in his sixties.

The Nine had been busy assisting King Gustalf Fritz with his experiments on Eldian prisoners and it was tiring work. Not physically, which required one of the more martial titans to stand around while the King and his scientists carved away flesh, burned hair, and imbibed fluids in an effort to create more than just Nine titans. The Wills of said Titans were all fairly offended by this, but the Armored and Warhammer Titans, who had spent the most time on the front lines and were becoming as practical and hardened as their soldiers, said more Titans would be easier for them. While the Beast Titan was positively enthusiastic, regularly picking up the test subjects, turning them over and over in his long nimble fingers as they bloated and crackled with lightning.

Still, the howling of the prisoners as they choked down Titan flesh or had fluids dribbled into their eyes was quite loud just as the results were nauseating. The scientists had quickly learned to experiment below ground, or in an area where the test subject could be dropped off a convenient cliff if things went wrong. Further testing from the Colossal Titan was not required after an expanding wall of red flesh crushed their slowest research team into the stonework of their cell. Voss wanted to skip all the suffering and tell them that the secret was spinal fluid. Admittedly, they were getting close to the truth, but it would take them at least a baker’s dozen more test subjects. His Father’s memories didn’t have this many experiments and the ones there were had an exhibitionist quality, more to show off the capabilities of the Nine to visiting dignitaries.

Even now, quite a few kingdoms refused to believe the stories of Nine Titans and YMIR were true, confining them to fanciful war stories or exaggerated tales of great warriors. However, when their ambassadors returned from the Eldian capital, ashen-faced and with vivid accounts of their own, they grew more cautious. (The Warhammer Titan was still smug it had beaten the Female Titan in a sparring match.) Still, the entire continent was holding its breath as the months ticked down. Any day now, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, would be called to join their families in the crystal caves below the capital, for a feast of heinous provenance. Voss felt some comfort from knowing his wife had agreed to host the Attack Titan, just as she felt comfort in knowing her husband would at least be a delicious pie. Grunhilde Voss was not an entirely stable woman, but Kirkland had known that when he’d married her.

______________________________

Fortunately for Eldia, the Fourth and Fifth Generation of Shifters inherited their Titan Powers exactly the way they were supposed to, cementing the power structure of the Eldian Empire. The Titan Shifters became the scions of noble families, the power, speed, and skill of their gifted bodies in turn granting them land, wealth, and armies of their own. The Founding Titan lived a life of supreme luxury even as they drowned in political intrigue and Titan tests. Soon the Founding and Beast Titans were spending most of their time in medical laboratories observing dissections while the Fritz family’s many, many wives found pregnancy to be their new normal. The Female and the Colossal Titans found that rather distasteful.

Each Noble family swiftly discovered that if their direct relative devoured a shifter, they gained their father’s memories, their mother’s combat experience, their son’s knowledge of economics. Soon, the Titan Families began to specialize, to shape themselves and their culture around their Titans. Poirot the Canny discovered the Cart Titan’s speed made a fine foundation for a mercantile network across the country and settled in the middle of the continent to abuse this as much as possible. The Armored and Warhammer Titans could regularly be found on the front lines expanding the Eldian Empire while the Colossal Titan became known as a frequent stargazer and the Noble House of Radcliffe produced several notable astronomers as well as siege experts. For all the legendary power of its throwing arm, the Beast Titan spent even more time on the extraction and vivisection of Mindless Titans, in the hopes of creating more siblings for their little family. After all, the test subjects were criminals, murderers and rapists all. Even then, they were only humans. But that was the sole dark spot on the Eldian Empire in those early years and the Nine were happy.

The Noble Houses were extremely proud of having a legacy through their particular Titan and were a strong source of unity for Eldians across the planet, with heroic stories and emotional connections across generations. Tales of the Cart Titan rushing a dignitary across countries to avoid a war, or the Jaw Titan heading through impassible mountainous terrain to deliver urgent medicine to a plague-ridden town would abound. The Titans used their power to build roads and cross mountains to move their armies, but those same roads also connected villages, enhanced commerce, and made people’s lives easier. And of course, war stories, with the gory details airbrushed out, were a staple of the Eldian Empire. The Marleyans would weep about the Devastation of Monte, but the Eldians could boast that Lord Radcliffe’s Colossal Titan destroyed the enemy city in one day, or how the Lady Beaumont’s Female Titan protected a caravan of travelers from bandits that had destroyed the army units sent to capture them.

The centuries rolled on and the memories of the Nine Titans became longer and longer, until one day the Jaw Titan went too far. Its Shifter, Duke Marcus Galdott, had spent a great deal of time with the beautiful Lady Cordell, owner of the Armored Titan, who was also, alas, married. When their indiscretions were discovered, the Jaw Titan knew no other Titan could catch it and so urged Galdott to run. The poor fool took his Titan’s advice and fled to the same small mountainous towns of Gerenhold the Jaw Titan had delivered from plague a hundred and three years before. The inhabitants of Gerenhold were not Eldians by birth, but by trade and submission. However, over the last hundred years, thee people’s loyalties slowly began to shift. Why should they pay taxes to Eldia, they said? Their precious Founding Titan didn’t cure us of the plague, the Jaw Titan did. Are we not a strong and noble land, with mountains to keep us safe and the sea to feed us? Should we not rule ourselves as we once did?

The Jaw Titan’s arrival seeking sanctuary threw a torch onto the smoldering embers of rebellion and soon it became a blazing conflagration. Towns tore down the Eldian Star from the fanes of their churches and expelled their local officials if they did not unite with the true sons and daughters of Gerenhold. The Jaw Titan was confused. Why would its presence cause such unrest, when it had come here seeking to avoid it? However, Duke Galdott understood and knew if he had any chance of survival to pass his Titan on to his son, now a man of thirty-two, he had to broker peace.

But the rebels of Gerenhold weren’t interested in peace. All they saw was that one of the Nine was on their side now, which meant they had hope. Sure, the Jaw Titan wasn’t as imposing as the Attack Titan, or as durable as the Armored Titan, but the oldest crones and wizened elders remembered stories. They remembered it had defeated the Warhammer Titan in the Tournament of Unity fifty years ago, though none of them had seen it themselves, the story had spread like wildfire. The Jaw Titan was fast, and it had sharp claws, so perhaps in the mountain passes they could find victory.

They could not.

The Colossal Titan’s arrival shattered the mountain range asunder, creating a path wide enough for the Eldian Army to enter and begin wiping out the rebels, town by town. Though the Colossal Titan did fall to the Jaw’s speed shortly afterwards, Duke Galdott hesitated when he pulled his fellow Shifter from his Titan. He knew he was on the wrong side in this war, but knew not what the punishment would be. Perhaps he could use this fellow Duke to bargain for some form of clemency? Yes, that was a good idea. The Jaw Titan thought it was a stupid idea and said so, while the Colossal Titan was somewhat embarrassed it had been defeated so easily. And after that whole business with the mountain, which should be the real legend here, not this petty mortal squabble…The Colossal was really quite proud of shattering a mountain in half.

By contrast, Warhammer Titan’s haughty sneer could be seen from across the valley and could be felt through the Paths themselves. The tiny little impudent Jaw Titan thought it could run, that it could hide from the might of its brothers and sisters? Was she not the executioner whose hammer had sundered the gates of a thousand fortresses and swept aside the great elephantine cavalry at Dohurn? What made the Jaw Titan think it stood any chance? Even if it somehow defeated her, mighty and proud as she was, it would not save the humans.

The Jaw Titan turned and watched as the first of the towns went up in flames as the Eldian Army units went to work. It heard the wails of women as they were dragged off by soldiers intent on ensuring this place would soon become Eldian by birth as well as conquest. It had come only to escape, to protect its foolish Shifter, had remembered arriving with the medicine bundled in its mouth and the tearful, cheering reception it had then. Now, the humans were dying and it was the Jaw’s fault. It was Duke Galdott’s fault. The Jaw Titan hung its head in shame and released its brother as the Warhammer felt smug satisfaction and only a shred of relief. None of them had truly fought before, had attempted to devour each other the way the Mindless did, and even she, in her pride and dignity, feared the consequences. Would their Wills disappear or combine? Could they ever separate? Questions only time, or perhaps the enigmatic Attack Titan could answer. It was always so infuriatingly cryptic, for all its obvious anger at injustice.

They delivered Duke Galdott to the King in heavy chains and wrappings, locking him away from the Jaw Titan as the rest of the Shifters conversed. Above them, invisible and noticeable perhaps only by the King and the Founding Titan, the Wills gathered in similar conference. Their brother was certainly guilty of stupidity, the Jaw had a habit of looking before leaping, though not to the extent of the Attack Titan. If the humans were going to punish the Shifter, should they punish their brother as well? What punishment could they enact? There were questions many of the Wills wanted answers to and just as many did not. The events of the year had seen the Nine truly fight among themselves for the first time and the prospect frightened them. They were siblings, they argued, they needled, they provoked, but they also forgave and consoled. They still had Mother, even if she no longer spoke to them, but the idea of losing the chipper, adventurous, inquisitive Jaw was unbearable. If they locked him away in the desert of the Paths, what would the humans think? If they made the wrong choice and Mother, absent as she was, suddenly was roused at such treatment of her son? Terrifying prospects all. They would have discussed it for days, but the King and the Founding Titan had listened to both discussions and had come to a decision in hours.

“My Lords and Ladies,” said King Gustaff Fritz the Decisive.

 _My brothers and sisters_ , said the Founding Titan.

“ _We have decided on the punishment appropriate for this situation, in Our infinite wisdom and after much consideration with the Paths. The Galdott family will be stripped of its Titan and all its responsibilities henceforth, along with any privileges, lands, titles, and soldiers under their command. General McNeil, who led the assault and has proven his loyalty beyond doubt, shall instead inherit the Jaw Titan and all the associated interests We have mentioned. We shall strip the Galdotts of their Ancestral memories and, if they prove themselves worthy, will perhaps one day earn their Titan back_.”

There was stunned silence in the room and in the Paths. _What would happen to Jaw?_ asked the Cart Titan, voice full of concern. _Would he lose his memories as well?_

 _If the Founder does this to Jaw, they will do this to any of us,_ hissed the Female Titan as the Attack Titan growled its assent. _Perhaps even all of us, to preserve their own power._

 _There must be consequences,_ said the Warhammer Titan. _Discord among the Nine is too dangerous an idea and cannot be allowed._ Then, so softly almost none of them caught it save the Colossal, _I don’t want to harm any of you._

 _Agreed,_ rumbled the largest of the Nine. _Jaw has been foolish and if the Founder believes this will not destroy our brother, then it is acceptable._

 _Previous experiments with my new hosts indicates only minor_ _setbacks, but there remains a significant possibility Jaw could have some memory loss..._ The Beast Titan trailed off as it realized what it was saying.

Because they were invisible, they had no heads to turn or eyes to narrow, but all focused upon the Founding Titan anyway. The Female Titan spoke for them all this time. _This will not destroy our brother, correct?_

The Founding Titan hesitated for a moment. _We are reasonably sure that is not what will happen. If it does-_

 _If it does,_ growled the Attack Titan, _you might as well destroy us all, because then I will test if you truly are Unassailable._

As it turned out, none of the Nine needed to worry because as the mindless Titan of General McNeil devoured the screaming Galdott, a sheepish Jaw rose to join them once more as the other Shifters looked on from the perimeter of the crystal caves below the palace of Jotenheim.

_Well, I’d say I learned my lesson_ said Jaw, directing its attention to its new wielder. _This one’s going to be insufferable for thirteen years and his son doesn’t look any better, the greasy little creature._ The Female Titan sympathized. Her previous wielder had been a gluttonous obese woman and every time she transformed the Titan felt as if there was a knot of muscle in her neck instead of a normal Shifter. It had been a long and uncomfortable thirteen years. At least the spectre of violence among the Nine had been avoided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again this is mostly lead-up, but I wanted to show the Nine as family and united, worrying about the idea of Titans fighting Titans. They don't think much of the Mindless Titans beyond pity or horror, but the idea of tearing their messy squabbling family apart with a true war? Now that's scary when you're stuck together for, as far as you know, all of eternity. Also, Mother is clearly not getting involved unless the Founder asks, and I think for the most part the Kings and Queens would use the Founder with a very light touch. As Hitchcock said, "There is no terror in the bang of the gun, only in the anticipation of it."
> 
> Next Chapter, we get the Great Titan War, over a thousand years later.
> 
> Originally I wanted this chapter to be all about the Nine discovering the Mindless Titans and later, an idiot King attempting to recombine all the Titans into YMIR, and the Titans uniting to stop him with the Founder. But while that's a really cool idea, I want to get to the actual story bits of Attack on Titan. I'll be dallying with the Great Titan War for a whole chapter, so I'm already indulging enough. After that chapter, we get Grisha, Zeke, Eren Kruger, and the Warriors.
> 
> Also, the Nine Titans aren't actually "talking" with their Shifters, but they can suggest ideas, feelings, which is how Duke Galdott had the idea to head to Gerenhold.


	4. The Great Titan War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Conspiracy of the Century! Guilt-Tripping a Civilization! Mass Slaughter on Unprecedented Levels! The Worst Vacation Ever! Game of Thrones with More Cannibalism! It’s The Great Titan War!

The Year is 743: King Karl Fritz was the 145th Leader of the Eldian Empire, now long past its glory days, but hanging on with Titan-sized figures. The previous King was likely either insane, sociopathic, or just a huge tool. He slaughtered Eldians and non-Eldians alike for flimsy reasons, which had caused Four of the Nine to march to Jotenheim in protest and as a not-so-subtle threat. He thought his reasons were good, but the impact continued to stain Eldia’s reputation as restless nations kept bringing up old Eldian atrocities. The Queen before that was so consumed with looking backwards in history through the Paths and her ancestral memories she forgot to look at what was happening in the present. The edges of the Empire were fraying or falling away entirely as the Nine Noble Houses, so consumed with maintaining their own wealth and political power, neglected their duties as holders of the Nine Titan powers. Increased intermarriage between different groups meant the Founding Titan had fewer and fewer subjects they could reliably control or even turn into Wild Titans as a threat. Conflict was smoldering on the borders, but those could easily be dealt with by mortal soldiers, no need to send the Nine when the mere request could provoke a backlash from proud nobles and terrified commoners alike.

Additionally, the Founding Titan simply hadn't been used in a long time and both Eldians and others forgot about how powerful it was. The Founding Titan now slumbered or drifted through the branches of the Paths, staring at the sky now covered in stars, each a past Shifter, each a life lived in thirteen years. King Karl Fritz was depressed, tired, and didn’t want to rule a vast empire. He had seen his parents, cousins, grandparents, and relatives all inject themselves and become consumed with and by monsters that walked like men. Maybe Ymir Fritz kept playing The Song That Never Ends in his head. The point was: King Karl Fritz was done with all of it.

He knew the Noble Houses would never cooperate like they used to. Not after the Wedding Massacre in 712 or the Assassination of Lord Beaumont’s daughter in an ill-thought-out attempt to deny the house their Female Titan. After centuries of dispute and squabbling, there was too much bad blood and the Founding Titan, the King, could not get involved. To do that would blow up the Eldian Empire even more violently than the Colossal and would disintegrate into dozens of warring kingdoms. The Marleyans had gained a great deal of power in the Trade Unions and controlled most of the shipping into the key ports. They were making a great deal of noise about more rights and there had been gangs targeting Eldian civilians in the streets. The sheriffs and outlying Army Garrisons were getting nervous and several had already sent requests back to the capital to be transferred into more heavily Eldian-populated areas, or to one of the Nine Shifter’s cities…

Karl Fritz rubbed his weathered, lined face with one hand and looked down at his desk. Those transfer reports, rolled messages from his spies across the Empire, flown to him in the clutches of owls and hawks. He thought about taking a working vacation to Paradis Island in the north, with his wife and daughters. Rose was getting all sorts of ideas about logistics and plans for increasing trade and the Tyburs had been very interested. He could spin it as checking on the reserve stockpiles and they would probably agree to let him go. They’d been talking with the Marleyans anyway…

The King groaned and stood up, his oak chair grating against the stone of Jotenheim. He was a king, but he wished he could not have to worry about the world for once. Everything seemed to be slowly falling to pieces, or ready to suddenly crumble into violence at the merest breath of doubt and disgust. Even when he wanted to spend time with his family and take in the vast deserts, forests, and grassy plains of Paradis, he kept thinking about work. Karl Fritz was a man naturally given to black moods and as he absently moved to stare out at the darkened city outside this one only intensified. The Palace had been linked with dozens of Shining Spheres, a project of Queen Goten in 522 and continued by following Kings and Queens until the entire palace shone in the night. The scrolls and courtiers would remark that Jotenheim represented the shining beacon of Eldia’s achievements in comparison to the rest of the world, but Karl Fritz looked out the window and only saw the dark streets below. The power of the Titans had always seemed more of a curse than a gift to him and now he saw that even its gifts had been hoarded selfishly. All those homes down there, men and women struggling to make ends meet, to satisfy the demands of a hungry empire, to satisfy a king who didn’t want any of it, who hated the Eldians more and more each day. He cast his mind back, back, back along the pathways of the Subjects of Ymir, the memories of the Founding Titan opening easily to him like a well-worn book. Decade after decade of conquest, of lighting on the horizons as mindless Titans poured into walled cities and devoured the screaming inhabitants. He felt the pride of King Dalton the Builder as he opened the Ingvall Mountain Pass, only for that pass to later carry 37,000 soldiers and two Shifters along to crush Ingvall’s restive population, inflamed by preachers from the South. He saw Bloody Queen Brandvold’s gladiatorial games with Mindless Titans and captured soldiers, heard the crowd of thousands cheer as the Marleyan general was ripped apart…

If the other Titans had listened that night, they might have heard an exhausted sigh through the Paths as the King of the Eldian Empire made his choice. He was going to give the Marleyans, the Tyburs, the Leonhardts, everyone, exactly what they wanted. He was going to burn down his own country and he knew just were to start…

The only ones he told were the Tyburs, the Hatches, and the McKinleys. The latter two were prominent Marleyan families with relatives all over the army, navy, and merchant services. Either family alone would have been sufficient to spread the word, but both would make things certain. Once Karl Fritz and Dide Tybur started this war, he wanted to be sure things would go the way he wanted them to. The Founding Titan could do a great deal, but it couldn’t touch non-Eldians and he needed to influence them the old-fashioned way. Dide Tybur and his family had been advocating for Marleyan independence for the last six generations of Shifters and Karl knew they, or at least the Head and his Shifter brother, were committed enough or greedy enough that they would relish the rewards waiting for them at the end of this road. The royal Eldian treasury was full of the spoils of conquest and the Tyburs would help the Marleyans to spend it in the right ways to ensure Marley would be a nation and not a fratricidal morass of conflict everyone else would have to step in and sort out. No, King Fritz wanted a nice, orderly civil war, with all the strings tied up. Ruined nobles, free nations, Eldian repentance, kazoos and confetti for everyone at the end. Despite everything, as he stepped onto the ship to Paradis with his wife, children, and his dear friend the Shogun, he did not smile.

_The Warhammer Titan steeled himself and prepared its arsenal. It had feared this day would come, had heard their little family speak less and less, flying further and further apart to the far corners of the Emprire as they became consumed with the lives of the petty mortals around them. The mortals never mattered, only their family mattered. If a civil war was what it would take to get his family on speaking terms, finally on the same side, then that's what it would take._

_The Founding Titan was simply tired. He had played peacekeeper for centuries, soothing tempers when growling Beasts confronted protective Armor, or when temperamental Feminine Titans took umbrage at a Colossal dismissal of concerns. It had helped the mortals as well, over and over again. It had stopped plagues, it had quelled rebellions and religious mania, it had created the Ackermans after the Wedding Massacre had shown even Titan Shifters could be endangered and would require bodyguards beyond human strength. It had looked upon the works of Man for so long, it was tired of looking. Now, it preferred to simply drift among the sea-green light of the Paths and if King Fritz wanted to wipe the slate clean, perhaps it could get a few hundred years of rest._

_The Attack Titan grinned its skeletal grin of dark promise and bloody satisfaction. So many schemes, so many years, it was finally so close. It was almost there, just a few more hosts, then Mother could be happy. In the meantime, well, if there was to be a war, the Attack Titan saw plenty of slaves, plenty of injustice, and very little freedom, for Eldian or Marleyan. Even the invention of cannons and muskets hadn't deterred its satisfaction._

_The rest of the Nine remained oblivious._

It was inevitable, it was necessary, it was no more cruel than what dozens of Eldian leaders had done to everyone else the world over. It was what was meant to happen.

It took a month and he was well into his vacation when uprisings started in dozens of cities across the continent, led by Marleyans and other civilizations under the Eldian Spark that wanted to fly their own flags again, to not be second-class citizens in their own country. Dide Tybur was the first to declare for Marleyan independence and left the capitol with his brother's 18-meter hardened flagpole embedded in the square, flying the Marleyan flag with a seashell at the center. Czinost’s Jaw Titan followed next, for the two houses had been bound together so closely by Tyburs fearful of the Jaw’s piercing teeth that there was no other action to take. That the young boy who had succeeded his mother believed in the cause only made it more painful for Karl Fritz. The boy covered the entire continent in a matter of months, spreading the word, which often arrived ahead of him, and flying the banner of Marley. Lady Beaumont’s Female Titan caught up with him in the desert town of Tovastis and they had a screaming match that ended when the matriarch punched the child out of his Titan entirely and left him alive as a warning to the rebel forces and his rebellious house. If the King wanted to, he could have suggested that she kill the boy, as a warning and to maintain Eldian rule. He could have ordered all sorts of atrocities, but he didn’t.

_Jaw was afraid because his Shifter was not. The boy was young, foolhardy, like Jaw had been and in some ways still was. But Jaw didn't want to cause any more trouble when there already was so much of it. Warhammer had apologized to him and they had stuck close for the last few centuries as the others drifted apart. Jaw knew they shared the same dream, to bring their family together again, so he stayed. He wanted to leap and jump and climb as he had in the elder days, when there were more undiscovered places to explore and less roads. He wanted to make his brothers chuckle, to sit atop the Colossal's head to watch the stars, to run his fingers through his sister's long dark hair. But the humans were testing something called electricity on his city, and the lights made it hard to see the stars. His sister hadn't spoken to him in years and the last time they'd been in the Capitol, she'd only said she'd been busy, and that was that. Running around the countryside with the Marleyan banner had been fun at first, always dashing from one town to another, clambering over the roofs of cities to spread the flag as people cheered. But then, some cities started to burn, some people started to shoot at him. His sister had caught up to him in the desert, where they'd once dug an aquifer for the town six centuries before. Their Shifters were arguing, but Jaw could barely spare them a thought, because he'd never seen the Female Titan this angry before. The skin had ripped from her jaws and her hands were crystal, as sharp as his, but her eyes cut the deepest. Cold, pitiless, not the eyes he'd remembered or the ones he wanted to see. She asked him only once, in a voice like arctic winds to stop this foolishness and go home. He'd told her that things had been too bad for all of them, for too long, and something needed to change. If the mortals wanted Marley to lead them, well, the Eldians could keep their own traditions, their own Titans. Things could change for the better! He knew the moment she received the thought it had been a fool's hope, just as below them, his boy spat something angry and vile at the sand near the Female Titan. Still, she was his sister, she wouldn't really hurt him, right? Right?_

_Even Jaw hadn't expected that punch to hurt so much, and getting ripped in half was even worse. It was a thought the Titan would repeat over the decades, nursing the wound. She struck first, she struck first, she struck first._

In those first two months, all Nine Titan Houses declared their allegiances or staked their claims while the Ackermans assigned to each chose their loyalties or scattered. The Beaumonts and the Female Titan were loyal to the crown, as they always had been. The Cart Titan and Edwidge Faramond who held the reigns were hedging their bets. They transported a team of doctors to help young Czinost, only to devour the leader of a rebelling port city when an angry mob tried to kill them. Lord Radcliffe declared himself neutral, stating that the Colossal Titan would not be used on Eldian soil. Seven months later he regretted his choice when an embittered Czinost slaughtered his guards, ripped out his nape, and spirited him away for the Marleyan Eldians to devour him. Karl Fritz did feel bad about that one.

_If it truly is a war, thought the Cart Titan, we will_ _lose. His Shifter Faramond was in agreement, the central position of their city and its merchants now a vulnerability as warring armies converged to loot it and gain a strategic foothold in "enemy" territory. Which side? It didn't matter. They were killing their own countrymen, just as his brothers and sisters were coming to blows. No, the Cart Titan had always been able to endure the changes across the centuries, he would endure this one too, but he proved to be wrong about that as well when the old Shifter, wrinkled and liver-spotted, was thrown to a crowd of baying Mindless Titans by the Warhammer it had once called sister. After that, the Warhammer became Master._

He’d declared his own neutrality early on, penning an imperious and impartial-sounding letter that advised the Noble Houses to sort out their own difficulties and politely asking for the end of hostilities. He made it sound like a King who didn’t know his realm was in open rebellion and assumed the deaths of millions were of little consequence. It was a devious, bastardly letter and pushed Beast and Armored to declare for the Rebels. Of course, they’d assumed that in the New Marley, they would still be Nobles, would still have the power and respect afforded to Titan Shifters. Were they not the Subjects of Ymir, ancient and worthy? Chosen by God or the Devil? Lord Fedor was decapitated by the Warhammer Titan when he’d casually requested slaves for his chambers one evening and there went the 400 year-old legacy of the Armored Titan. The Leonhardts were more professional about it, the cool, cerebral aspect of their family line a match to the scientific nature of the Beast Titan so they kept their Titan until the end of the war when all of Marley looked expectantly at them with loaded cannons and six other Titan Shifters who remembered none of the Old Ways. Another legacy gone.

The Kruger’s Attack Titan and Beaumont’s Female begged their King to return and wake the Founding Titan. The colonies had declared independence, whole regions had taken up arms and Marley’s many enemies were crawling out of the woodwork to slaughter every Eldian they could get their hands on. Kruger and the Attack Titan had made their choice. They didn’t fight for the King or the Empire, but for the Eldians who lived there. House Kruger and the freedom-seeking Attack Titan weren’t adverse to a free Marley, but they would not stand by and let their people, the Chosen of Ymir, be slaughtered like animals. They fought desperate, running battles in hundreds of incidents across two continents that year as they protected convoys of Eldian and Marleyan refugees from rogue Army elements, Mindless Titans woken up by conflict and human screams, and even their fellow Titan Shifters. Everyone, from Cart to Beast, to Warhammer took a howling Kruger fist to their face as the most stubborn Shifter unleashed uncounted years of bottled rage. His battle with the Warhammer cleaved the Invall Mountain in two and shattered the road the Builder had so painstakingly crafted. Still, Kruger and Beaumont begged their King to act, please by Ymir, do something!

Even Karl Fritz, who had orchestrated this conflict, who saw it as the natural end of the Eldian Empire, couldn’t stand the carnage. His family remained on Paradis with the Shogun and the Founding Titan returned to the mainland, where he was immediately set upon by the Tyburs and every Marleyan Revolutionary in a hundred leagues. Beaumont and Kruger fought a running battle towards him with millions of Eldians from across the continent, with Mindless Titans everywhere. It was what Fritz had wanted to atone for and he had caused more of it. More senseless slaughter. So he atoned and brought the remaining Eldians his Shifters had gathered into his embrace, back to Paradis where he and his daughters began constructing three Walls to protect his remaining subjects. Maria, Rose, Sina. In that time Lady Beaumont had been devoured and Kruger had disappeared entirely. So King Karl Fritz sent one last message.

_Eldians...Titans...they never should have existed in the first place. I will accept the responsibility of righting this wrong. Only...until the day that this retribution comes, I want to live inside the Walls...I want to enjoy this brief paradise, this world without conflict._  
  
---  
  
These were the last words Karl Fritz ever wrote to the outside world. They were, to all intents and purposes, his epitaph, enshrined in the minds of Marley and and writ large across the mindscape of the Founding Titan and his Eldian subjects. His peace would last for one hundred years, until men were reminded that the Walls were a pen and humanity, cattle. Three small children stood outside the Walls, and three small children stood inside them. They made choices as their Titans watched and readied themselves for the inevitable. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's this messy chapter! I originally wrote out all the regular text as one cohesive whole then added the Nine's snapshots throughout. Hopefully it's not too disjointed, but I wanted to get the tragedy and heartbreak across. I also realized last chapter I never mentioned the Beast Titan in that conversation among the Nine, so doyyy!
> 
> I know it's unlikely that any of the Nine original Noble Families survived all the way from the Second Generation of Shifters to the 145th, but I imagine all the Titans changed houses for one reason or another over the centuries. The Marleyans are also bastards, so I imagine finding a girl descended from one of the Noble Houses would be a huge achievement, but they wouldn't want to risk her getting her ancestral memories back. So the Leonhardts get the Female Titan instead of the Beast Titan their family had guarded for 562 years. Black humor and something for Tyburs and Marleyan generals to laugh about.  
> Will post more tomorrow.


	5. The Last Loyal Titan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Attack Titan has to survive the new Marleyan regime. Fortunately, it has the Krugers to help it.

745 in the Year of our Founder, ~~Blessed~~ Cursed be his Name.

Therbold Kruger dived into an alleyway and hid behind a small collection of rubbish bins and a half-eaten fish as armed guards raced past. The smell of rotting flesh was distressingly familiar these days, for him and for every Eldian still on the continent. The funeral pyres still belched black smoke to the heavens and no matter where he was in Markist, he could still hear the screams as more of his countrymen were thrown onto the celebratory fires. He snorted softly as booted feet and blue-coated soldiers ran past, one leaning into the alley but he’d concealed himself well and the soldier moved on. What was there to celebrate now? What celebration could there possibly be when neighbors turned on one another as Eldian ancestry, once a source of pride, became something to be hidden and buried.

He and Lady Beaumont had fought their way across the country, scarcely a moment outside the napes of their Titans, and the King had turned his back on them. He had vanished into the island of Paradis and left millions of his people to die. The hate that boiled up from his stomach was matched by the boundless rage of the Attack Titan as they both ached to tear the city asunder in vengeance, to stop the pogroms scouring the city he had only barely escaped from. The Attack Titan existed to stamp out tyranny, to ensure the freedom of all peoples, Eldian, Marleyan, Corsucan, and Dohurnites alike. The Eldian Eempire had not been perfect, had in fact been severely flawed, but Therbold Kruger still believed it had been the best state of affairs for humanity. The Attack Titan kept its own counsel, as it often did. He’d inherited it from his uncle, at the age of twenty-two and in the three years he’d held his family’s Titan, he had learned the green-eyed berserker was often unpredictable. He’d felt subtle pulls, drawing his gaze to someone in a crowd, to travel to a far-away city, or to write a letter to one of the other Nobles. At the time, he hadn’t understood why, but trusting his father and his uncle’s memories, he followed the Attack Titan as it had led him across the continent. Now he knew, or at least suspected enough that if his Titan could speak, he would have shouted in its face and damn the consequences.

Somehow the Attack Titan had known there would be a war, and had been preparing not just from the moment it had joined him. It had directed his uncle and his father, possibly even further back beyond them, all to ensure-what?

Therbold didn’t know, but he trusted the Titan’s plan, as much as it burned against their natures to hide and skulk instead of fight. They’d saved the Leonhardt’s children as a Marleyan mob attacked the ancestral home of the Beast Titan, scurrying down a perilously steep goat path as heavy cannons and the vast spikes of the Warhammer Titan ripped the castle from the mountainside. They had saved a caravan of refugees from a buried group of Mindless Titans, the caches buried as a deterrent to rebellion now simply causing more of it. Those, at least, had been good acts and they soothed Therbold’s mind. Even in these dark days, he was still able to uphold some small shred of the Kruger’s honor. The relieved faces of the refugees as their savior roared its defiance and decapitated the last of the Mindless had swelled his heart and had even the Attack Titan bending to let the humans swarm to its massive fingers, crying their thanks, blessings to YMIR, and questions about the King. Well, Kruger and his Titan had few answers to give them, and the ones they had were all poor tidings.

They had stood there in Liberio, the last of the Nine loyal to the Eldian Throne, as armies marched against them and Five of their siblings were arrayed against them. The last words of the King and the Founding Titan, whispered softly, with regret over the Paths, into their minds.

_Hold them as long as you can, my children. I will return for you._

Even then, they could taste the lie, but it hadn’t mattered because he’d been right. Every instant they had bought with blood and carnage meant more Eldians would survive to join the vast fleet heading to Paradis. So even though he and Lady Beaumon had been friends, had shared a desperate, passionate, and utterly meaningless night in an outlying barn the night before, that day they were closer than ever before. One would sweep away an infantry regiment seeking to sink grappling hooks into their flesh while the other launched the Cart Titan into the face of the Beast, forcing it to drop the rubble it had been preparing to throw. That was their advantage, for in their greed and desire to destroy the Noble Houses, Marley had forgotten what had made them so formidable in the first place. It wasn’t the wealth, the men-at-arms, the castles, or the political connections they’d made in Jotenheim and across the continent. It was hundreds of years of combined Shifter experience and an intimate knowledge of their Titan’s capabilities which made them into avatars of destruction, even as swords had been replaced by muskets and cannons could now bombard the Titans from afar.

The Attack Titan had caught a cannonball in mid-flight, spun with the force like an athlete in shot-put, and thrown it with tremendous force into and through the Warhammer’s grilled faceplate. The Female Titan had dueled with the Jaw in a crescendo of ringing crystal, using only two hardened fingers on each hand to its opponents combined claws and jaws. She finished by contemptuously stamping down and all could hear the crack as the smaller Titan’s lower jaw was torn clean off by a crystallized heel that leaked blood from the instants he’d bitten down.

The new Shifters, the ones loyal to Marley, were inexperienced and it was costing them time, men and resources as Eldians kept piling onto the ships far behind the blockading Loyalists. Wounds an experienced Shifter could have focused on and healed in moments were left to steam closed on their own, wasting time and precious energy. They fought as individuals, rather than as a group, the way they had so many times before, in the memories of the Nine. The Female Titan and the Attack Titan could whisper to their Shifters, telling them to duck a blow coming from a blind spot, or to avoid the weak road behind them which might collapse. The new Shifters may have been Eldians loyal to Marley, but they had no ancestral memories. They were deaf to the cries of the Nine and while once they had pleaded with the Shifters to stop fighting, things had gone too far.

There was bitterness and recrimination on both sides, Titan and Human. Jaw now loathed the Female Titan for what she had done to the Ciznost boy and his brother, who’d succeeded him, while the Attack Titan looked at its Armored brother with betrayal as well as rage. He had always been the protector to the Attack Titan’s berserker nature, but now their hands were both stained with the blood of Eldians. There could be no more discussion, not when the cities still burned behind them. The wounds were too fresh.

The Loyalists fought for hours, through the smoky, ash-clouded day and into the night, where the Cart Titan finally managed to tear Lady Beaumont from her Titan, nearly bitten clean in half. Then the Attack Titan was alone, as it had known it would be, weakened and tired. Therbold had taken a fighting stance even as he felt sweat pour down his back inside the Titan and prepared to sell his life dearly. They’d burned through not two, but five Titan bodies, transforming over and over as they leaped away from the flesh carved in half by the Warhammer’s cleaver or dived away when the Beast’s stones shredded the unprotected flesh of their skin. But Therbold was still alive, so the Attack Titan nudged his mind as he had an idea. He’d swiftly ejected from the neck of his Titan, counting on the steam rolling off the healing body to disguise his presence, connected to the nervous system only by two long fleshy cords linked to his eyes. The massive fist stained red with both Eldian and Marleyan blood raised above its head in the universal gesture for surrender as Kruger smirked slightly. As if the Attack Titan would ever surrender. With the snap of tendons and one final roar of effort, the Attack Titan launched its Shifter high across the city, clearing street after street in his flight as the other Shifters carved it to shreds.

He’d drifted across the city, relying on the rudimentary knowledge of 3DM Gear that wouldn’t be invented for another forty years to direct his fall. He’d been launched so high it felt more like flying than falling, but the principles of aerodynamics remained the same, so he slowed his fall as much as possible, his dark blue cape spread out behind him like wings as it worked to slow him in a makeshift parachute. The Attack Titan felt satisfaction as they looked to the East and saw the last of the ships embark from the Liberio docks. There were still hundreds of thousands of Eldians in the city, now scattering in all directions as the thin hope they had vanished completely. It was not their job to worry about them now. They’d saved as many as they could, possibly several million, and now the scattering refugees would act as both cloak and shield for the Attack Titan. After all, what was one more refugee in a countryside of thousands?

This was why they were now in Markist, following the rumors of surviving Ackermans who’d escaped the fall of one of the Shifter Cities. The Eldian Resistance here had been markedly more effective, clearing corners with tight, smooth movements, even as their grubby mismatched clothes showed these had once been refugees, not soldiers. Most of the Eldian soldiers were either dead at the hands of the Titans they had once fought against, or had turned traitor, swearing they were Marleyan as red-hot brands seared their flesh. The Attack Titan didn’t care about weak-willed humans. It cared about the Ackermans. Now that was strength it could respect.

As the Shifter moved through a maze of back-alleys, descending into the putrid sewer system beneath the city, the Attack Titan thought back to better days.

 _The Cult of the Waves had seduced Prince Colquin Fritz, the son of another political marriage and who had sought to strengthen his meaningless little sacrifices by creating Mindless Titans to eat the faithful fools on stone alters. He’d amassed fifty-five of the Mindless and kept them in ocean-tossed caves beneath the Cult’s meeting place, but whispers had made their way to Jotenheim. Queen_ _Medrian Fritz III had ordered the Attack Titan and her personal guard, Robin Ackerman, to attend to the matter, with the Beast Titan to provide backup and their research expertise if necessary._

_The Attack Titan had seen a seemingly mortal woman, unarmored, and wielding only two long swords, dodge every grasping hand and Mindless mouth that went for her as her expression screamed of the perpetually bored. She strode up their arms to reach vulnerable napes, rebounded off of walls and steaming chests to reach new heights, killing with every blow. The Titan had rallied to her implicit challenge and when the carnage had settled, the Attack Titan’s score had been thirty-two to the Ackerman's twenty-three. Most mortals were lucky if they could kill one before they were devoured. When her swords had snapped in the neck of the seventeenth, she’d grabbed a halberd and spun around its haft like a circus performer, leveraging every inch of the wooden haft and her own bodyweight to drive it deep into howling Mindless Titans as the Attack Titan had simply ripped out the spine of its twenty-ninth and crushed it with relish._

Of course they would try to save the Ackermans. Neither the Attack Titan or Therbold Kruger knew all of the steps that would see them to the end, but they knew just enough to be in the right place in the right time. From there, they would play it by the Attack Titan’s long pointy ears.

_________________________________

817 in the ~~Year of Our Founder~~. Standard Reckoning.

Eren Kruger hid in the closet and listened to the screams as his parents died. Uncle Dobold had left only hours before to scout the area for their next attack, to take back the police station and its armory for Eldia. But the police weren’t at the station, they were here, in his house, and they were burning Mama and Papa alive.

He wanted to cry, to sob, to rush out and fling himself into the fire too, but instead he clasped both hands over his mouth and forced himself to stay silent. He had to live, Uncle Dobold had made him swear on YMIR’s bones, so he would. Even if he was found, the Marleyans sometimes showed mercy to children. Sometimes.

“Check the house, and be thorough about it. Every nook and cranny, especially on the ground floor. Sneaky fucks last week had a hidden basement we nearly missed and we lost three good men clearing them out. So, eyes sharp and keep a round chambered!”

A chorus of assents as the enemy moved through the house, boots clambering up to the second floor. He heard the sound of shattering pots as they swept through the kitchen, the sound of boxes falling as they emptied the meagre pantry. Beneath his clasped hands, Eren Kruger allowed himself a small smile. Soon they would try his parent’s closet door-

The closet shook and dust rained down as the tripwire grenade inside their closet went off and he heard two gargled screams from above him. _Try getting at our jewelry now, you greedy bastards._

“Helios’s head!” cursed the leader from somewhere nearby. “Alright, no more screwing around, just frag anyplace small enough to hide someone, and let’s move on to the next house!”

Eren felt fear spike in him and lowered his hands slowly as he rose to his haunches, still crouched in the closet. If a grenade came through the door, he would throw it back out, and attack the first survivor he saw after the blast. There was only a few feet between his closet, originally meant to hold traveler’s coats, and the front door. There likely were more officers outside, but he was small. He could get away.

More rumbling detonations shook the house and Eren heard the sound of a fountain as a water main burst somewhere further in. The closet door squeaked open and a thin, bespectacled man poked his head in. He held a small cylinder in his hand, with a prominent lever, but his eyes locked on Kruger’s. Every lesson drilled into him by his Mama and Papa screamed at him to charge forward, to kill the man who had taken their country, their birthright from them, but Eren Kruger stopped. The man didn’t seem angry. His initial surprise gave way to a long moment of consideration as he searched Eren’s face. For what, the boy did not know, but whatever it was, he’d found it, for he reached out and brushed a few cloaks forward, hiding Kruger from sight once more.

“Hurry up Malquist, get a move on. We’ve got five more houses today!” bellowed the leader and the man wrenched himself out of the closet. “Sorry, sir. I thought I saw something, but it was just a shadow.”

“Should’ve blown it to be safe Private.”

“Well, sir, you said we have five more houses and I only have four grenades. It was just a shadow after all.”

A grunt of dismissal and soon the booted officers were filing out of the smoking, ruined house as Eren Kruger’s brain tried to acclimate to reality. He’d been saved by a Marleyan. Perhaps an Eldian spy, but they had blood tests now for that right? So, he’d been saved by a Marleyan.

But as the smell of his parents burnt bodies assaulted his nose once more, he couldn’t find himself to forgive the man.

_________________________

819 Standard Reckoning

There was an attractive woman in Eren Kruger’s office.

As a Public Security Official, this wasn’t as unusual as might be expected. There were always Eldians who had turned to prostitution who skated around the system by pleasing the officers who’d supposedly been assigned their cases. There were relatives of arrested criminals who thought they could barter for their loved one’s safety with gold, favors, or the oldest bargaining chip between men and women. Some of the other men, like Gross, took every advantage they could get and some of the younger ones even crowed about it on patrol to their fellows. Though Eren Kruger was a tall, gangly man still edging out of the teenage woes common across both Eldians, Marleyans, and sweaty boys the world over, he never indulged.

For one thing, despite what his papers and the blue uniform said, he was an Eldian, not a Marleyan and to take advantage of desperate women, no matter their race, was not his way. For another, despite whatever temporary pleasure those women offered, the punishment from the Marleyan authorities if they were caught was even harsher still. Months on the Paradise detail, dragging condemned Eldians to Mindlessness or to be devoured by their fellows. Well, that sat even less well with Kruger.

He’d entered the Public Security Forces, bribed an Eldian doctor to change his papers and forge his blood test, for a simple reason. He was going to work hard, betray as many people as he needed to, sell out his own countrymen, get as high in the ranks as possible. Then, he was going to wreak as much chaos as one determined man could. Open the Liberio Internment gates, let the Eldians and Marleyans mix together until the only way to be sure would be to force the Marleyans to bomb their own city into oblivion. Release prisoners, liberate armories, all the things he had dreamed of with his family but were now denied to him. It would be one glorious orgy of violence and justice against Marley, but he could wait. The fire in his dreams kept him warm enough at night. So Eren Kruger only blinked at the strange woman in his office and closed the door behind him. “You’re in my chair.”

“And you’re Captain Eren Kruger?”

“Who needs to know?” he asked in the bored tone of a man who had strangers pestering him every minute of the day.

“Dobold Kruger’s daughter, Emelia.” The woman drew back her hood to reveal deep green eyes, long curly hair, and a weathered face so similar to his uncles. It could easily be a trap.

“Ma’am, I’m afraid I don’t know who that is. Kruger is a fairly common surname in this city, you know, even among Marleyans. Is there something you wished to discuss?”

Emelia gave a small rueful smile. “You swore to your uncle on YMIR’s bones you would survive, the same day your parents did not. He bought you a colored top for your fifth birthday and you sent it spinning so many times it went dull. Your father had a silver ring with an inset green gem, the only jewelry they would never sell.”

Kruger felt his hand drift down and unclip his pistol holster as she spoke. In the silence after her speech, the click of the little brass button was clearly heard by both, despite the murmur of conversation and the sound of shoes in the hall. Eren Kruger’s voice was ice-cold.

“What is this? If you lie, I’ll put a bullet in your stomach before your head, so be honest.”

The woman laughed then, a bitter sound, but she still covered her mouth with one hand. An old noble habit, then. “You could unload every round in that gun and it wouldn’t make a difference cousin. Of course, I know you won’t, because our memories tell me so.”

The gun cleared its holster and Kruger thumbed back the hammer as he aimed at her head. “One chance, then.”

Emelia looked down the barrel without a shred of fear. “I’ve come to deliver to you what your uncle promised you all those years ago. I’m afraid the Attack Titan had to make a bit of a detour through me, there was a refugee family in Gerenhold who needed to be in Liberio sometime this decade.” Suddenly her voice changed in pitch slightly as she looked over his left shoulder. “You know for such a ferocious beast, the Attack Titan’s spent a great deal of time around birthing beds. Imagine that, if word got out.” Emelia lifted her hand to her mouth as she pretended to laugh once more. “Why, her fearsome reputation would be ruined! Of course, when you eat me, she will become a he once more, and you can continue the fine tradition of matchmaking.”

Eren Kruger lowered his gun but left the round in the chamber. Just in case. “If you are who you say you are, why wait so long to come to me? With the Attack Titan’s power we could turn the Internment gates to rubble in a night! We could seize a ship and go anywhere in the world, rebuild Eldia in some quiet corner! By the Goddess, you have one of the Nine!” He slapped a hand to his forehead in astonishment, but kept his voice low. “We thought they were all lost in the War, save the Founder!”

His cousin circled the desk and allowed her hand to trace the strict lines of his face. “Oh Eren, you poor boy. It just wasn’t your time yet. Father had such high hopes for you, and look at you now! Exactly where you need to be!”

“Working for the enemy?”

“Surviving. Keeping your head down. Waiting for the right moment, just like Dobold did. Just like I did. That’s what the Attack Titan’s had to do the last few generations Eren, despite its own desires. It had to wait for the right moments to act, to move on. The Age of the Titans is coming to an end, cousin,” she said sadly. “Now is the time for a light touch, to prepare for the hammerstroke.”

“I-I don’t understand what you’re saying” stammered Eren as his mind spun.

His cousin showed him a wrapped syringe and waggled it slightly. “You will.”

Eren Kruger had taken his estranged cousin for a walk in one of the heavily wooded parks and they’d had a light lunch, heavy on the meat. Blue pants that Eren had ironed that very morning collapsed to the blood-soaked dirt as he cradled his head and the images flooded in. He was going to drown in them, the memories of his cousin, his uncle, his grandfather, his great-aunt. The roar from his Mindless form might have been noticed, the steam from the collapsing corpse behind him most certainly was. He had to get out of here.

He saw the maw of the Mindless Eren Kruger engulf him and remembered the smile on his cousin’s face before he bit her in half.

The Attack Titan rolled its eyes. _Alright Kruger, time to go. We have an airship to watch tomorrow and a small child to beat._

The Future Owl stumbled to his feet and absently wiped some of the stains from his pants before pulling out his gun and firing two shots into the tree in front of him. The sound should bring more Public Security in their fragile little cars, just in time to assist in his search for the dangerous Eldian spy. He would pull his first fingernails tonight and show the same quality that had made the Attack Titan choose him the same way it had chosen his cousin. Iron will and stoicism were needed now, not anger and a desire for freedom. Now, the Attack Titan had to let its Shifter chain him down, for thirteen more years. Thirteen more years of injustice. Of ignoring and even aiding in the harm of Eldians it had sworn to protect. Then, there would be a reckoning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I always imagined the reason Eren Kruger was so emotionless and stoic was because he had to chain down the Attack Titan's rage for years and years as he hurt other Eldians. Both of them knew it had to be done to get them into a position to meet and save Grisha Jaeger, but it went against the Attack Titan's nature. So it sought out hosts who were smart enough to know when not to fight, when centuries before it had favored a more warrior-focused group of Shifters when the need arose. It's a tricky thing, the Attack Titan. I think its future sight sometimes works like "I know I need to say this thing to this person." and other times it's more "I need to be in this city two days from now, but I don't know why. So I'll sit in this bistro and see what happens." The Titan and its Shifter do an equal amount of actual work and an equal amount of flying half-blind, but YMIR's retroactively helping out after she's freed in the future. Thinking about it too much makes my head hurt but that's what all good time travel stories are like, right? Even though nobody's actually travelled in time yet besides our green-eyed chum.
> 
> This chapter was supposed to be about so much more, but the Krugers kind of took over this one.   
> I'm also a sucker for Heroic Last Stands, so the last two Loyalist Titans get one. Now technically Kruger's Fastball Special getaway shouldn't be possible, but I imagine the Attack Titan's putting in that extra 2% effort to complete the throw. Therbold still shatters most of his bones when he lands after plowing through a few trees, but he crawls it off.


	6. The Warriors' Disputes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Marleyan Warriors Program inducts new Titan Shifters and eventually gives them a mission of stunning audacity. But the wounds of war are still fresh on Seven of the Nine.

Zeke Jaeger picked up his mentor’s glasses with shaky hands and placed them on his nose. They made his surroundings look slightly blurry, but he could have the lenses replaced easily. Plus, he didn’t want to look too closely at his surroundings right now. He didn’t want to look at what was left of Xavier.

 _Oh, how interesting._ The Beast Titan had no hands to rub together in glee, but the emotion remained the same. _A Royal, how utterly unexpected. In the Warrior program, no less, right under Marley’s thumb! Ohohoho, the Titan Research Society shall have so many questions for you. No, for us, now. I wonder, do you even know?_

The Beast Titan dived into the memories of its current host and felt a clinical disappointment its Shifter could not call upon a generation of Titan-surgeons and sadists to provide a second opinion. Technically the Beast Titan was the first doctor's opinion, the Shifter the second, and the Ancestral Memory the third, to maintain the scientific rigor of experiments, but that time was past. No sense worrying about it when there were so many tests in the future.

_The boy does know, even better. And now his mother’s been sent to Paradise along with the radical fool of a husband. Eldian Restoration, hmf. Without having to worry about the Founder or the Female raising issues about “ethical treatment of prisoners” or “Eldian genetic feasibility” I can get results so much faster now. The Marleyans will be at the forefront of this scientific age with my help. Now let’s see what the boy plans to do…_

_A fanged smile split the Beast’s face. So it’s adopted Xavier’s little plan. Well, I should say our little plan. Human madness germinated the idea and I directed it down the proper channels. Destruction of Eldian reproductive capability, on a unilateral, irreversible, global scale. I get shivers just thinking of the possibilities. Ethnic cleansing of Eldians on that scale,_ it mused, _made the Empire’s pregnancy programs pale in comparison. I can’t wait to find the Founder._

___________________________

Several years later…

Marcel Galliard looked across the steaming room at Porco, who gave him a thumbs-up and the older boy waved a hand in his direction. He couldn’t remember coming here, couldn’t remember most of the day, but he was getting flickers-

_An old man cried out as a boot broke something inside him and the Jaw Titan felt Ramveist’s despair. “It’s real simple idiot,” growled General Magath. “You follow orders, or follow your family members down a Titan’s gullet. Real simple. Clear?” The owner nodded franticly and the Jaw Titan felt pity for its Shifter. It had thought being together would make things better again, and even if the Founder was missing, their family was still broken into shards. The Shifters had no problem working together, but the Titans maintained a frosty silence. They were killing other Eldians now too, in addition to enemy armies. To the Jaw, that felt wrong, no matter what the Warhammer told it._

“-Galliard, can you hear me?” Marcel blinked and realized he’d been staring off into space while War Chief Zeke waved a massive furry hand in front of him. He looked up into the yellow eyes of the Beast Titan and jumped up and down. He cupped his hands to his mouth.

“Yes sir! The strangest thing just happened, some sort of vision about-“

“Yes, the Titan Science records have several instances of this phenomenon. Anything useful, or even mildly interesting Marcel?” The Beast somehow managed a curious look on an inhuman face, but the boy felt he understood. _Be wary of the Beast,_ whispered the Jaw Titan inside his mind and he paused as the words caught in his throat. “Um, I don’t think so, sir. Just an old man in a holding cell somewhere. That was it.”

The Beast straightened out of its crouch. “Well if any more comes back, let us know. You never know what might come in handy.” As he moved away, Marcel felt his heart rate slow and absently wondered why his palms were so clammy as his brother moved to hug him. He’d given himself thirteen years, but at least Porco was safe.

_The Jaw Titan was cautiously optimistic. Years of suffering after the Rebellion had taught it wisdom, of a sorts, and the boy seemed like a kind one, if he was willing to take on a Titan instead of his younger brother. Of course, if the Marleyans wanted to try reigniting the skills of Ancestral memory, well, the Jaw wouldn’t much mind the brother either._

________________________

The Armored Titan looked down at the boy who would inherit him and was not impressed. _The boy is weak,_ he grumbles to the Cart Titan, whose new Shifter was leaning against the crystalline wall with a grim expression on her face. As for the Cart Titan, she simply regards her brother with an exhausted silence before replying. _You’ve loathed every one of your hosts for the last hundred years, brother. The last one had no honor, the one before him was too reckless, and so on. Even when the Empire ruled, you loathed the last of the Fedors as well._ The Armored Titan makes a disgusted noise only the Nine could hear. _The man forced slaves to bear his children and only gave his married wife the back of his hand. A pathetic end to a bloodline I fought with for four hundred years. And now we’re passed from fool to fool like luggage and thrown into the same wars, with even less respect than before. At least they took me by force, your Shifter just surrendered._

The Cart Titan’s voice was bitter. _And they threw us to the Mindless anyway. You’re wrong on one account though._

_Which one?_

_We weren’t respected by the end of the Empire, simply feared. Oh, our families and personal servants, they respected the Shifters, could see the toll we took on our hosts. But everyone else? They just saw dangerous beasts._

Down below them, the Armored Shifter was being chained to the crystalline platform when the Titans noticed something. The boy, someone named Braun, was standing at attention, saluting the imminent sacrifice of his predecessor before someone told him to cut it out. For all the trappings of the crystalline chamber and restraints, the Marleyans had no sense of ceremony. This was a messy and dangerous business all within the chamber wanted to be over, not the passing of an ancient inheritance. But somehow, the boy understood not just the gravity of the occasion, but something of its significance. The Curse of Ymir was well-known among the Warrior trainees by now, but the boy’s face spoke of pride, not the quiet despair his last Shifter had sported. The Armored Titan had no body to express it but would have crossed his arms in wary foreboding as his sister smirked the best she could with an equine face. _Perhaps the boy is not as spineless as you perceive him to be, brother._

_Spinal jokes, Cart? Those got old in 338, from what I remember._

_I remember the Founder banned them from these ceremonies because the Jaw and the Female Titans wouldn’t shut up about it._

_A good memory._

Both were silent as Reiner Braun was injected and a flash of golden light made the crystals shine. The Mindless Titan scrabbled forward and bit deeply into the chained man. Soon, the corpses of both Titan and former Shifter were collapsing and the unconscious Braun was dragged off to the side of the cave by Pieck Finger. By his ankle. The Cart Titan waited patiently as its brother rifled through the boy’s memories and felt the contours of his personality. Such adjustments took time even for the Nine Titans. By the time he was done, the boy had woken up and Pieck was now needling Reiner Braun to join her for lunch in some little café. How twee.

_Well?_

Any caution in the Armored Titan’s presence was gone and the Cart Titan narrowed its eyes as it sensed a glimmer of approval, quickly hidden from his sister. _The boy may yet prove worthy, I think,_ said the Armored Titan slowly as it mulled the idea. _He is convinced he will save the world._

_Well, I think none of the Nine has ever shown a knack for prophecy, even the Founder, though your approval is somewhat surprising. What was it you saw, brother?_

The Armored Titan was unusually pensive as it stared down at the boy now being offered tea by a softly smiling Pieck. _He has hope._

_You mean the Jaw’s naiveté. Marley will see that swiftly crushed, I have no doubt. They had my Shifter running cargo across the deserts of the Mid-East for weeks to be sure she was obedient._

_Still, there’s something about him…_ mused the Armored Will, _just a feeling._

_Now you do sound like our sister, b_ _ack when she used to have hope._

_She still does,_ he said, _you could say she's husbanding it_. 

Cart yawned. _Now you're making husband jokes for our sister. Better or worse than my spinal jokes?_

_Next time we see her, I'll get a second opinion._

Unnoticed above the café, the two Titans slowly fell back into the banter they’d shared over hundreds of years as Reiner Braun looked forward to his first mission, ignorant of the familial rift his existence was slowly healing.

_______________________

The Female Titan was not much given to laughter these days, but even she had to chuckle as the small blonde girl was led into the room. _A Leonhardt? The balls on these Marleyans,_ she said with a mixture of begrudging respect and disgust. _They’re giving one of the last Leonhardts to me instead of the Beast?_

 _Presumably they do not want the resumption of Ancestral Memory,_ said the Colossal Titan as his tall, thin Shifter hid behind one of the massive crystal pillars to watch the ceremony. Ostensibly here as “security” the boy seemed jumpy enough as it was. Perhaps he was simply intimidated by the knowledge of what he’d see. Reiner and Zeke had told him often enough, but while the former was kind enough to skip the lurid details, Zeke had been blunt. And the Colossal Titan had been pleased to see the boy blanch at the description. He did not have the soul of a killer like Laidos had, so the Colossal Titan hoped this Shifter would be less openly cruel. _Alternatively, they simply needed a woman, and with the Beast inside the Royal child, she was a convenient alternative._

The massive spirit silently thanked YMIR it hadn’t said the Female Titan was the acceptable alternative to the Beast, because then she would go back to ignoring him. Or icy disdain on par with the Tybur’s Warhammer, making them both, as the Armored had once said, “ _a pair of armor-busting frigid bitches”._ The Armored Titan, for all its honor, still cursed like a soldier when riled up.

The boy jumped visibly as the Mindless bit down, a muffled scream escaped from the victim and the Colossal Titan rolled its eyes. Of course, the boy needed to grow a spine as well. Too much callousness, too much timidity, it was a delicate balance, being a Shifter. This was why the Colossal and his humans had stayed out of worldly affairs when they'd could, but the Marleyans seemed more determined than ever to emphasize their dominance of Seven of the Nine. Even destroying citadels in the Far South was tiresome, once you did it enough. The rich satisfaction in his sister’s voice caught the Titan off guard, lost as he usually was in his mental rambling.

_Ohhh, I’m going to like this one. Yes, I’m going to like this one a great deal._

The Colossal Titan would have raised his eyebrows if he’d possessed any. _How can you tell?_

_The girl tries to hide it, just like the Warhammer, but she has a good heart buried down there. She’s covering it in crystal already, but she’s in perfect balance. Empathy, clarity of mind about Marley, the desire for love from her father, all balanced out by ruthless determination. Unlike the Braun boy, she’s under no delusions. Perfect for me._

The Colossal Titan was affronted on his brother’s behalf. _Let him have his honor where he can find it. There’s precious little of it in Marley and he likes to cling to the past. Let him inspire heroes, if this new world has any need for them._

Annie Leonhardt pulled herself from the Titan, weak-kneed and covered in fluid as the Paths energy in her body began to settle. Bertholdt ran out to help her up, but the moment she was on her feet, she wrenched her arm from his grasp and gave him a glare of such potency the boy shrunk away.

_Don’t be ridiculous brother_ , snapped the Female Titan. _You're confusing hero worship with hope_. _People always saw us as monsters, just useful ones_. _Soon we won't even be that._ The Female Titan’s voice was bitter, even after all this time. She’d loved the Beaumont family almost as deeply as the Nine, and their loss had caused her to retreat into isolation. An isolation the Leonhardt girl had been interesting enough to draw her out of. But her brother wouldn’t let go of the idea.

_We used to be heroes. Perhaps we can be again._

It was only the infinite patience of family that stopped the Female Titan from suggesting her Shifter kick the Colossal’s in the face. To top it off, the girl had one hell of a kick. She knew it was stupid, but a part of her still wanted to believe him.

_Believe what you want, Star-Watcher. But the girl, at least, will be worth watching._

_________________________________

The packed conference room was full of noise as Shifters, Marleyan brass, and advisors chattered amongst themselves. The Seven above them (it should have been Nine) were even more energetic. Of course, this energy tended to take the form of snide comments and arguments, but at last, they were all in the same room together again. That hadn’t happened in a very long time and to their surprise, the conversation came more easily than some thought it should.

Jaw was still bitter about the Cvisnost boy and Beast was more concise than their usual scientific diatribes. Even the damned Warhammer was here, the Tybur woman hovering in the background as a serving girl. She was a cautious one, and the six other Titans eyed her with a great deal of suspicion. Her Titan was as proud as ever, of course, and she grumbled a great deal about how the world hadn’t seen her power in a very long time. Perhaps this meeting might herald another long-awaited reunion with the battlefield as well as with her siblings. Of course, getting the Titan Will to admit she’d missed any of them, even forcefully cheery Jaw, was like drawing water from a stone. The most they got was a mildly less arrogant, _At least your Shifters bothered to show up on time. I thought the Beast was going to drive me mad with boredom._

For once, both the Shifters and the Titans were equally riveted on the Marleyan in front of them as the first united meeting of the new Warriors came to order. General Mikkelsen strode to the front of the room and attached a few large sheets of paper to the board beside him. He cleared his throat and soon enough the room was silent.

“Gentlemen, Ladies, Warriors,” he paused as there was muffled snickering at the back of the room. “We’ve gathered all of you here today to inform you of your next assignments and theatre postings. If any of you want to apply for a transfer, you can spare us the paper, all decisions are final.” General Mikkelsen flipped down the first sheet, which displayed a map of the wider continent and the expanded Marleyan territories. “As most of you are aware, the technological advancements made by the Mid-East Alliance and the Northern Techno-Union have severely limited the viability of War Chief Zeke’s Titans in multiple theatres as weapons of purely military value. As weapons of terror they remain, of course, unparalleled, as do the Seven Titans in Marleyan possession. However, today I am here to address the two Titans that are not.”

The room filled with muffled buzzing while Zeke pushed his glasses up his nose with one finger and looked as smug as the Beast usually was when explaining the tachyonic-neutral qualities of Paths. The Seven Titans, however, broke into an uproar absolutely none of the mortals could actually hear. Annie had a brief bout of tinnitus and Reiner winced as he began to feel a migrane coming on, but otherwise they too remained ignorant.

“ _Absolutely not_ , hissed the Warhammer at the Armored Titan. _They betrayed us and refused to join, even when their cause was hopeless. You heard what Fritz did out there, that message he sent about the Rumbling! Why risk such catastrophe when we don’t even know if they’re connected to the Paths_?

 _Could the Founder have cut itself and the Attack Titan off from the rest of us?_ Asked the Colossal Titan. _I suspect that if they had been truly destroyed, somehow, we would have felt it. Beast, is the Founder not the Coordinate, the converging center of the Paths?_

The other six looked at Zeke’s Titan, who nodded. _Technically that would still be Mother, but the Founder is equally as key to the integrity of the Paths. If it has hidden itself away, metaphysically speaking, how would we know if its Shifter walked right by us in the street? No, neither of them has been truly destroyed. Hidden, perhaps, or dormant. The chaos of the war…_

It trailed off and there was an uncomfortable silence as the Titans started listening again. Plans for the next war were infinitely preferable compared to thinking of the old wounds they’d caused each other in the last one. After all, no one can wound you quite as deeply as family.

_“_ -resource management until then.” The general was talking about more oil, for their ships on both air and sea. As if the Titans cared for any natural resources beyond themselves. “Thus, in order to deter further invasion, War Chief Zeke will remain in Marley along with the Cart Titan in a strictly advisory capacity unless the need is called for their deployment. As the Warhammer Titan is,” he coughed in what was poorly concealed disdain, “indisposed, we shall have to use the Titans that remain for this mission.”

_INDISPOSED? Tybur, give me a damned body so I can crush this slime between my thumbs! I’ll beat him with his own family! I’ll shatter this excuse for a military base in an hour! Tybur, damn your mortal deafness! You hear me woman? I’ll-_

_It’s at times like these I know it’s a blessing they can’t hear us,_ said the Colossal to the Cart Titan who sniggered a bit as the Armored and Beast attempted to calm their sister so they could at least hear what the mission was. Below, the general was continuing.

“A capability the Titan Research Society and our remaining Eldian records say will go beyond even Zeke’s local command of Mindless Titans, perhaps allowing Marley to utilize coordinated Titan offensives across an entire theatre of war. Coupled with the large population of Mindless Titans within Paradis island, this could cement Marley’s position as the dominant military power even in the face of technological advancement. As a result, we will be sending The Colossus, Jaw, Armored, and Female Titans into the Walls of Paradis on a mission to retrieve the Founding Titan, simultaneously eliminating the threat of King Fritz’s “Rumbling” and possibly capturing it for ourselves.”

Now it was the mortals who erupted while the Titans were frozen in silence. It was the Cart who broke the silence. _I did not mishear that? They plan to send four children into an unknown environment to retrieve the most powerful and secretive of us? Without support?_

 _You did,_ said the Armored Titan grimly. _That’s going to be…_

 _An absolute nightmare,_ sighed the Female Titan, who wanted to put her head in her hands. _Fifty shells says we get devoured by some Mindless horde before we even see the Founder’s fringe._

 _The children did destroy all of Colgantha earlier this year, an entire nation is well within the capabilities of the Titans,_ reminded the Beast, who was very glad he wasn’t going. More time to play with Zeke’s spinal fluid.

The Jaw Titan snapped his teeth in irritation. _That wasn’t a nation, that was a collection of towns surrounding a port city. You’re spending too much time in Liberio brother, the Marleyan’s lies are filling you up._

The largest of them looked down. _Cart, Warhammer, you’re being rather quiet._

Their larger, arrogant sister was flipping a small crystal through the air as she thought. _Well, it’s been nice getting to see your Shifters before they’re devoured by Loyalists. When you return to Liberio in enemy hands I’ll be sure to kill you softly._

The Armored Titan was breathing fire now as his temper rose to match her now that his honor had been offended _. Are you implying I am not capable of protecting my Shifter from simple Mindless Ones? Such insult, just because you can’t kill the way you used to. You’ve become such a disappointment, sister._

Gasps rang out in the silent space as the General droned on below them, but none of the Titans were paying attention now. They could just look through their Shifter’s memories later, because even the Beast Titan was grinning with a mix of glee and subdued horror Armored had actually dared to say it. But the protector was just getting warmed up.

_Your Tyburs are pathetic cowards, hiding away from the world as their brothers and sisters die at our hands, from the cruelty of Man, and you’re no better. Even before the Rebellion, you were always a vicious little bitch, but now you’re just like Cromquist Fritz trying to become the second YMIR. Cruel, bitter and never satisfied, just because you think we don’t treat you the way you want to be treated. Well, congratu-fucking-lations, you’ve got it all now! The Tyburs rule Marley from the shadows and some of us call you Master because they’re afraid you’ll beat them again. That’s not respect, that’s fear!_

If the Beast Titan could eat popcorn, he’d be gorging on it, while the others were starting to tentatively take sides. The Warhammer’s shocked expression could be seen through the grill of her helm, but…she almost looked hurt as she fired right back. _Oh, like you’re one to talk! We fought in the same battles for centuries but you kept making the same mistake over and over, because of your stupid honor. Who cares if they die, they’re just mortals! Eldian, Marleyan, Gerenholds,_ _you think it matters? Not to the Marleyans and not to me! I picked the winning side because I could see it was time for the Empire to die. It had been rotting for a century and you refused to see it because admitting you served monsters would have shamed you! So what’s the difference between my pride and yours? The only difference is, you make excuses!_

_Excuses? You shattered this family because you dragged Jaw into this Marleyan mess and he was stupid enough to believe your promises about the future!_

Jaw gnashed his teeth meaningfully and glared at his brother. _Stupid? I’m not the one who still believes in heroes._

 _Hope is not a flaw,_ said the Female Titan with some passion, moving to the Armored’s side though whether it was because she supported him or merely opposed Jaw, none could tell. _If we are to endure for eternity, we have to believe in something. Even Beast believes in science, for all his cruelty._

 _I prefer to think of it as pragmatism,_ he said with a sniff as several of his siblings gritted their teeth. _But our sister brings up an interesting point about our existence._

 _On the end of her fat tits, maybe,_ grumbled Cart. The Female Titan made a very rude Eldian hand gesture that promised rectal violation to six generations of the Cart’s descendants. Undeterred, the Beast continued. _With the Founder unresponsive, I have put some thought into the matter of our existence, since some of you seem so tired of living together._

_It’s been nearly 2,000 years_ sighed the Colossal. _We’ve argued before._

Beast gave a skeptical look. _Any Titan who wishes to truly die, speak up._

 _Stop listening to Shifters treated like cattle and brothers who always belittle me?_ The Cart Titan grinned with its equine face. _I’m in._

Warhammer tore at her helmet, clawing with frantic fingers until it finally shattered into white shards that disappeared as they spun away from her revealed face. More naked than she’d ever been, she glared at the others with tears in her eyes and a voice that quavered before calcifying as her anger rose once more. _I’d gladly vanish, if it meant I never had to see any of you scum again. I’m done, you hear me! Go cry to Mother for all I care, I am done! ? I am through with each and every single one of you self-absorbed souls._ She wiped furiously at her white-gold eyes. _I hope they choke on you_. With that last parting shot, she vanished, withdrawing down into Ophelia Tybur as the meeting below drew to a close.

The other Titans hovered in silence, even the Jaw, who normally might’ve tried to patch things up with a joke or a caper. What else was there to say? With two of their number missing, even with the progress they’d hoped they’d made, the Rebellion was still a gaping wound between them. One by one, they withdrew into their Shifters into the Beast and the Colossal were the only ones left. The behemoth shot the ape a reproachful look. _That was seriously your idea for how to diffuse their argument? Tell them how to kill each other?_

The Beast would’ve shrugged. _I don’t think even Warhammer is callous enough to kill every single Eldian on the planet. The mortals are going to find the Founding Titan anyway, it’s the easiest solution for them and for us to just end the Eldians. Think about it, we’re tied to the Paths, the Paths are tied to Mother, Mother is tied to the Eldians. If there’s no more Eldians, there’s no more Paths. Theoretically._

_There was a family squabble and your solution was to propose a genocide?_ The Colossal loomed over its smaller brother and now it was truly angry, a towering inferno of fire and muscle that singed the Beast’s soul. _Even for you, that’s sick._

But those yellow eyes were glaring right back, now. _Now who’s deluding themselves? We’ve been at this for 2,000 years and we’re all tired. We’re tired of each other, we’re tired of our roles, we’re tired of the humans. Warhammer had the right of it with the Rebellion. Better a swift execution than a drawn-out struggle. Cleaner. Neater._

_Have you given any thought to the consequences if your plan succeeds? All the Eldians die and we won’t even have the novelty of Shifters to distract us. If we’re unlucky, we’re stuck here to stare at mortals forever. If we’re lucky we go back to the Paths and help Mother build sand castles for all of eternity. Do you want to be the one who did that?_

The Beast began to retreat into Zeke. _You’re the one who spends the most time watching, brother. You know this can’t go on for much longer._ Colossal silently admitted to itself that the Beast was right about that, if nothing else. He hoped the mission would begin soon, to put an ocean, island, and ideally three walls between his Shifter and the Beast’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realize the Female Titan contradicts herself here, because when talking to the Colossal she's afraid to hope and then when confronting the Warhammer, she defends the idea. TBH, it's mostly her buried anger with the Jaw Titan coming back up, but she's also hopeful they might find the Founding and Attack Titans and that might heal their divided family.
> 
> Several years ago, all the family on my dad's side got in a really bitter and nasty fight about my grandparent's inheritance, which wasn't much money really. Baggage came back up, things were said that could never be taken back, and some of my aunts have said that everyone, even the kids and spouses are "dead to them". That burns, because I went to them for help and advice when coming out to my Dad, and now they won't even pick up the phone. I hope the family dynamics come across and make sense. 
> 
> Next chapter is going to be the intermission where I outline the personalities and dynamics of the Nine. The fact I even have to do that shows what a poor writer I am, but it's odd because the Nine themselves don't have direct agency. They can't make their Shifters do anything, but they can suggest and whisper. Oftentimes that's enough.


	7. Intermission: The Nine Titans and the Quandary of Free Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A summary of the personalities of the Nine Titans themselves, as well as some of their battle roles. Also contains an explanation of the Attack Titan's power. (May or may not be canon to the actual manga, I'm unsure what the real deal is with the Attack Titan)

Titan Personalities:

They all have their own personality ticks and as they pass through Shifters they all gradually become more “human” and pick up traits from human society over centuries. However, the core of their existence comes from their initial perceptions of YMIR's memories and feelings.

**The Founding Titan** \- becomes the parental substitute, but at the same time gradually becomes more distant as they get lost in the Paths, while the other Titans become fearful of the Founder’s possible power over them. Has never used its power against the Nine, because she knows if she does, it will shatter their family irrevocably. Used to be able to resolve family disputes and grudges as a mediator but now they’re gone, the family is slowly crumbling. The only one who can re-enter the Paths and speak with YMIR, who the Nine all refer to as Mother. Favors hierarchy, obedience, and rules, largely responsible for herding the Nine together to help build the Eldian Empire. Over the centuries, took to wandering the Paths, experiencing the memories of Eldians past and only returning to the present to deal with whatever pressing problem required its attention. One of the major sources of Eldian stagnation, along with the increasing instability of the Fritz lineage. 

**The Colossal Titan** \- very much a "I'm just here to do my job then go home" sort of Titan. They know they are the largest and most powerful Titan and work to put their brothers and sisters at ease. They have a gentle soul, so don't relish combat the way the Armored, Warhammer, and Attack Titans do. Fortunately for them, their role in history was to most often act as an intimidation factor as the largest Titan, or as a siegebreaker, using their vast size or explosive transformation to sunder great fortresses and destroy positions even the other Titans would have difficulty taking. As a result, because the Colossal is a "one and done" kind of Titan, it rarely saw extended battle and instead preferred experiencing the natural world around it. As mentioned before, it had a deep love of astronomy, as the gulfs between the stars are as vast as the gulf between the colossal and their siblings, so on that scale, the Colossal Titan really wasn't so big after all. Because the Colossal spent so much of its time pondering the nature of existence, it was the "wisest" of the Nine Titans and the most detached from human/earthly affairs.

**The Armored Titan** -A protector first and a soldier second, the Armored Titan is an idealized knight crossed with a real-life one. Curses when truly angry and has a strong sense of honor and duty. Protects its Shifter and the humans under its command frequently. Butts heads with the Warhammer’s harsher, more arrogant nature now the Founder isn’t there to keep order and they aren’t on the field conquering together anymore. No battle camaraderie like the old days, which it romanticizes and misses. Sometimes moves the goalposts from “The Eldian Empire was good” to "No I mean the early 400 Empire was good, no the 200 Empire, no just Army Group 7 in the year 274". Never has the “are we the baddies?” ephinany that the Female Titan and Attack Titan did. Simps for Eldia.

**The Female Titan-** The only Titan to exclusively prefer a female host and the first to form a body/self-image, mimicking YMIR as a woman and Titan. As a result, she has slightly less effective versions of several Shifter powers and could be looked at as “dimestore knockoff YMIR”. Can create crystal and harden like Armored and Warhammer, but only on her body and not as hard as Armored. Claws aren’t as sharp as Jaw, and her Scream is lesser than the Founder’s and very simple, only able to say "Eat Me" or "Eat The Humans". Compassionate, she hides her emotions behind layers of cynicism that has gradually built up over centuries. Doesn’t know about the Attack Titan’s mission, but might help free YMIR if she did. Battles with Jaw during the Marleyan Revolution caused them to have a bitter family split that neither is over. Jaw blames her for striking first and starting the war, while she blames the Warhammer for starting the revolution and thinks Jaw is a weak-willed fool who went along with it. Neither are wrong.

**The Attack Titan** -Exclusively Angry, but it has several varieties of anger. The most obvious is explosive, hot rage, where they roar and punch a lot of things. That anger comes when it can no longer stand to see injustice done or people being imprisoned. The second is a cold, simmering, calculating rage which has allowed it to work/survive under the radar for centuries as it works toward the goal of freeing YMIR from the slavery of the Paths and the Fritz’s brainwashing. Finally, there’s disgust, when it’s repulsed and disappointed by the actions of its siblings. Is a “momma’s boy” and loves YMIR very much, and has a range of relationships with the other Titans. Butts heads most often with Warhammer, is cautious as he senses Beast is playing a long game of some sort similar to his but with a less defined end goal. 

**The Beast Titan** \- Possessed of an amoral, feral kind of curiosity. Like a cat playing with a mouse before it eats it, the Beast Titan likes to do experiments, to mess with the humans under its thumb and to move around with stuff in its hands. That could be rolling a wagon wheel across its knuckles or it could be opening up a human like a Pez dispenser, it sees both actions the same way. If something gets easily broken, it can be replaced. If a particularly gentle or powerfully-willed Shifter has control of it, there have been cases when it has allowed Eldian children to climb in its fur for a public relations campaign, showing off how the Nine Titans interact with the common folk, but it's always a temporary thing. The Beast is very interested in Zeke, because for once there's a Royal Family member who doesn't have the Founder and has instead stumbled into the Beast Titan's claws. So many options for experiments, and Zeke lets some of that cruelty seep into his soul. It's not excusing Zeke's actions at all, but the Beast Titan is a bad influence on Grisha's first son. Beast is very much a “fuck around and find out” type of Titan, doing things just to do things and observe the effects.

**The Jaw Titan** \- starts to be considered the “little brother” even though the Nine were all born at the same time. As a result, they act more immature and can be more impulsive than their wiser siblings, even though they all are a thousand years old. Used to really enjoy exploring the world, back before the world was mapped and could frequently be found perching on the top of cliffs or mountains with their claws. Sometimes consciously tried to break up fights or distract by acting goofy, childish, but it rarely does this since the Rebellion. Was beaten repeatedly by the Warhammer until he’s reflexively submissive to her, but he doesn’t realize it’s because she fears his claws which can cut through her crystal. Has a grudge against the Female Titan.

**The Cart-** Cart is always the odd one out. Not often found in active battles until recently with Marleyan additions of a machine gun nest and artillery, it used to act as a flanking harasser and mobile fire platform for musketeers and archers. Always a little resentful it doesn’t have as much combat potential and it’s less “human” than the others, but it also tries to not let it show. The only one even thinking about trying to be someone different than what it is. Partially a function of the Titan's form attached to function but is starting to regret the choice it made and wants to be “better”. As a result, it may ally with Beast if the latter has a “fix”. As the “enduring Titan” it is just tired of having to live in a squabbling family and always feeling neglected. At least when Titans are angry at Beast or Warhammer, they are thinking about them. Mostly they don’t think of Cart at all. As a result, they’re very much down with Beast’s plan to cause Titan death, wishing for the peace of oblivion. Used to be cautious, observational, and similarly interested in travel before the War and a millennium of exhaustion caught up with it to make the Cart depressed and passively suicidal.

**The Warhammer-** is very proud of their abilities and has a “whatever it takes” attitude to anything they decide, but they also want to help keep their family together by any means necessary. Arrogant, usually thinks it knows best and will browbeat the others into following it. The Jaw and the Cart are its usual victims, it helped instigate the Marleyan Rebellion because they wanted to have everyone come together again and fight on the same side so if she and the Armored Titan could have camaraderie in battle, that should patch things up, right? Unfortunately, Warhammer is a poor judge of relationships and just fucks everything up even more. Now instead of being distant, withdrawn, and selfish, the Nine actively hate each other. Not that the Founder helped much by sleeping on the job.

Explanation of the Attack Titan's power, as I see it:

It's not like the Attack Titan knew everything that would ever happen, they just knew some of it and can still be surprised. People can still make their own choices, it's just that by changing the past, the Attack Titan is making it more likely the future with Eren and YMIR comes to pass. Odds of success go up with each victory (5% to 6%) and go down if they fail. As they get closer to Eren, the odds of each individual decision succeeding fluctuate drastically. While a mistake 1,500 years ago could be compensated for, if Eren fell on his face in front of Zeke and got brain damage, the odds of the Attack Titan freeing YMIR would lower drastically (85% to 22%). 

For example, the Ackermans who Therbold Kruger was trying to save in Ch 5 could have been the ones whose great great grandkids birthed Mikasa, but because they died, it meant more rested on the Ackermans already on Paradis. With less Ackermans on Paradis, it made it riskier for the Attack Titan's plan because it was more likely Mikasa would never have been born. The Attack Titan got enough "wins" that the AoT timeline played out the way it was supposed to and we didn't end up with Rebel King Zeke Jeager and the Marleyan hero Armin Arlert or something. Also, with the "future" getting closer, it is hiding more and more from its Shifters so they don't decide to, say, not squash the Reiss kids. (Grisha)

Secondary note: I capitalize YMIR the very first Titan because she's a figure of huge cultural and religious importance to the Eldians, the Nine Titans, and her own family, entering the realm of myth and legend shortly after her death. However, this is also to differentiate her from Ymir, the freckled girl who makes passionate Titan love to Historia. (You go, you funky little lesbians.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a summary of the Nine Titans because I'm BooBoo the Fool and haven't really given a clear overview of the Nine Titan's personalities during the fic beyond situational arguments and discussion. I also wanted to address a common misconception regarding the Attack Titan's power, even if it may make things incoherent. The idea everything is preordained in the AoT universe, that there is no room at all for choice is anathema to me and to Isayama, I suspect. For example, Grisha could have refused to eat Eren Kruger and died in despair, but Eren still would have been born inside the walls with the Attack Titan power because YMIR wanted him to free her.
> 
> I think the broad strokes are set in stone (Invasion of the Walls, Eldians fight back, YMIR is freed) but the details are up to the humans across the series, who still have individual choice. The Nine Titans can make suggestions but never railroad the Shifters. Rather, they tease at existing aspects of the Shifter's identities to further their agendas, and the canon events are the result of all those influences and choices colliding while the Attack Titan plays blitz chess at cross purposes with everyone else. I took a philosophy course in college on Free Will and it bored me to tears quickly. Too much Theoretical, not enough Practical, so make of that what you will. Still, the ideas were interesting enough before the professor lost me in the weeds of game theory.


	8. The Last Kruger, The Last Fritz, The First Jaeger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Attack Titan finally reaches canon events, while hidden forces move through the Paths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning for frank discussion of Birth and Abortion, because Grisha is a doctor.
> 
> The miracle of life never fails to astonish, but it's also fairly messy, especially in a pre-industrial society like Paradis. When you've had to help someone give birth in sub-opportune circumstances, it drives home how amazing women were for surviving the process regularly for thousands and thousands of years. I was born so premature I didn't have working lungs, and they had to put me in an incubator to keep developing. 3 months early and at nearly any other point in history, I would have died within a day. So in dark times like these, hold your loved ones close, call your family, and be glad you too were born into this world.

Standards were changing, observed Eren Kruger. When he’d been young, hiding in closets and escaping arson, no respectable man would be seen in public without a hat. Now, he could see half a dozen or more bare heads in his sight line alone, and none of them were getting strange looks.

He was in a dark green jacket and had a flat cap pulled low to hide his eyes as he lounged against the tannery across from the row of apartments they were watching. Technically it was just him, but the Attack Titan had been unusually attentive in the last few weeks. Years before, after he’d beaten the Jaeger boy, the Attack Titan had been quiet. If it had been alive, he had no doubt it would have been asleep for most of the decade, but in the two years, it had woken up. No doubt sensing the end of its Shifter’s lifespan and he sensed they both had the same candidate in mind. With the Attack Titan, there was no such thing as coincidence.

At that thought, almost as if she’d been summoned, a young blonde woman stepped out of the stairwell and tied a shawl around her shoulders as she left for the market. The man Kruger had hired, who’d hired another in turn, stepped out and smoothly took her arm as if they were old friends. “Dina, you look as radiant as ever. Why, I’m sure the fishmongers will give you a fair price today, they will be so intoxicated by your eyes!”

Exactly the phrase Kruger’s letter had warned Dina to expect, so her eyes softened, and she allowed herself to be swept down the street. What Kruger’s two decades in Marleyan Public Security saw, and what made the Attack Titan rumble in approval was the white-knuckled grip on the kitchen knife hidden inside her basket. Dinah Fritz was no fool, which was why she had survived for so long. Even with the Attack Titan’s occasional glimpses of the future, they had very nearly been too late to replace her with another young blonde woman who answered to Fritz. While someone else might’ve felt a twinge of guilt at condemning a simple pickpocket to a life of torture, impregnation, and medical tests from the Titan Research Society, Kruger was impassive. It helped that the fake Dinah had stabbed him several times in her terror as he turned her over to Marley. He’d even been forced to allow the knife wounds to heal at the normal rate, which had been painful and itchy.

However, today was worth every single one of those stab wounds, because, provided nothing exceptionally stupid happened today, Dinah Fritz was going to meet Grisha Jaeger. Kruger followed along at a distance, watching both Dinah’s companion, and the other man he’d hired to watch Dinah’s companion. While it was normally true that the more heads involved in a conspiracy made it easier to discover, Dinah Fritz was very, very important. Kruger still hadn’t put his finger on why, beyond the obvious fact of her royal heritage, but the Attack Titan was being uncharacteristically mum on the subject. All it had given Kruger was _a glimpse of blood-spattered flowers and a steaming hand colliding with a Titan’s_. However, eleven years meant Eren Kruger was resigned to his partner’s strange behavior and simply kept walking down the busy road as Dinah swept through the market. For once, the stupidity of humanity did not shit in his dinner and the woman made it to the Restorationist’s underground hideout, hidden behind not just a bookcase, but a second false wall, a secondary staircase that led to a wine cellar, and a solid steel door. Kruger knew this because he’d slipped in at the unEldian hour of 3:21 AM to leave the Restorationists copies of Jotenheim scripture. Part of him hoped that one of the two dozen or so would have retained a scrap of the language the churches had spoken, but it was hopeless. The Marleyans had been merciless and the original Eldian language had been obliterated from living memory. Well, he supposed the Nine Titans didn’t count.

His partner gave him a memory of _Queen Langley Fritz, strawberry-blonde hair askew, raining curses down upon a pair of hapless Eldian generals_. Presumably those words were meant to apply to him. Every once in a while, on a slow day, when neither the Marleyans nor the Eldians were causing particular trouble, Kruger would imagine what it would be like to speak with another Shifter. They could reminisce about the disgusting taste of spinal fluid, which hadn’t slipped from his tongue for a month, despite harsh brushing and the spiciest peppers he could find. He could ask a fellow Shifter if their Titans sent them memories as his did, or if they only communicated through the subtler suggestions he had trouble distinguishing from his own thoughts. A faint suspicious feeling looking at a man, a whim to head into a fruit-seller’s stall, the satisfaction at a closed murder case, all could have just as easily been a nudge from the Titan as Kruger’s own desires. He’d long since given up on trying to guess. Perhaps the fruit stall had been to avoid the gaze of a suspicious Marleyan with an axe to grind against the Krugers, perhaps it was because the boysenberry jam was reasonably priced, perhaps it was just a normal human whim. However, he didn’t dwell on it. Past Attack Titans did and several of them had become sobbing wrecks long before the end of their 13 years. As long as he had life, even with all the fingers he’d snipped off his countrymen, Kruger had quietly resolved that doubt was something he could not allow himself. That was a luxury.

______________________

_Shit, shit, shit, shit._

The mantra played endlessly in Kruger’s brain as he skidded around the corner and nearly crashed into another Marleyan officer. He muttered a brief apology and dashed on, boots screeching to a stop on the polished floor outside his superior’s office. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart and putting on a bored expression, he straightened his tie and entered Gross’s office. “You wished to see me, sir?”

The fat bastard was positively jovial and Kruger felt the Attack Titan’s anger flare within him so he ruthlessly stamped it down with the ease of long practice. “Kruger, Kruger, come in! This case is simply so amusing, I thought I should make this a little reunion!”

The Shifter stared, his mind whirling as he cast his mind back. He’d been partnered with Gross on the streets for several years until the man had been promoted into the upper ranks of command and been consigned to a desk. He had to find out more, if the rumors flying around the break room were true…However, Gross wanted to play with his food a little bit first. Even to Marleyans he was a bastard.

“Kruger, you’ve had plenty of experience with interrogations, confessions, and hopeless sellouts, I’m sure. Of them, which betrayal do you think cuts the most deeply?”

 _Damn Gross to the jaws of a Titan_ , thought Kruger. Instead what he said was, “I would say the lovers, sir. Fresh or no, emotional attachments of that nature are always uniquely…” he searched for a word between his feelings, which said _valuble_ , and his ruthless logical head, which said _vulnerable_. “Opportune.”

The man nodded gravely, as if this was a solemn occasion, instead of the jovial one he was presenting it as, but Kruger had the best poker face in the building and gave him nothing. _The Attack Titan knew Kruger had the best poker face of its last forty-two Shifters, but it wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. Not now_. Gross was stroking his mustache, as if the man hadn’t oiled it two hours before.

“Well, this most recent case begs to differ my old friend. We had a few relatives come in, first the old man, then a rather idealistic grandchild, to report his parents as possible subversives to our glorious nation! Of them, which would you think would hurt more, the father’s betrayal, or the son’s?”

“The latter, sir. If the guilty party helped raise the boy, he would perceive it as a more personal betrayal. No man has such input on his parent’s moral compass.”

Gross leaned back in his chair and the wood creaked under his weight as Kruger felt the Attack Titan’s attention suddenly sharpen. “You ever have a family Kruger? Wife, children?”

“You’ve read my file, sir.”

“No girlfriend? Back-alley regular at least?”

“No sir.”

Gross pulled a hurt expression, as if he was wounded Kruger wasn’t confiding in him. “Really Kruger, we made it through those dangerous Eldian street patrols, I can look the other way if your lady lover is less than respectable. Or are you more interested in the strong-jawed men?”

A muscle twitched in Kruger’s jaw, but his voice was calm. “I’d appreciate it if we left this topic, sir.”

“And I’d appreciate it if you pulled that iron bar from your ass, but we can’t all have the entertainment we desire, can we?” It was a rhetorical question, as Gross continued. “Either way, this case finally popped open that little Eldian Restoration case we’d been hearing rumors about, so we’re going to arrest the lot of them tomorrow, and I want you leading a squad.”

Kruger’s blood ran cold and his mouth dropped open. He’d been burying, burning, or misdirecting the Marleyan Public Security Bureau for months, sending the Restorationists messages to lie low. And now some loud-mouthed brat with an overdeveloped sense of self-preservation was going to kill the last Royal left on the continent. His mouth moved as two decades of subterfuge took over while the majority of his brain and the Attack Titan quietly panicked. “That’s wonderful news sir. Rather, wonderful that we have a lead, not the Restorationists.”

Gross nodded and produced a pungent cigar from his breast pocket, which he offered to Kruger, who held up a hand in rebuttal. Gross shrugged and lit it for himself. “What makes this a mission suited for your particular talents, is the name of the family who gave themselves up. Go on, see if any stick out in your memory!”

He was pretty sure if the Attack Titan could communicate, it would be swearing hard enough to curdle milk, but it only raged silently inside him as the bottom dropped out of Kruger’s stomach. He had to play dumb, so his Titan scrambled to throw plausible cases to the front of his mind. “The Headlys? With the extortion racket who managed to walk?”

Gross shook his head.

“That nurse with that sketchy pharmacist along Colquin Street?”

“We took them six months ago Kruger, didn’t you see the memo? Here, I’ll give you a hint. We ran into them when one of the supply airships came in.”

The Attack Titan howled in misery and resignation as Kruger nodded. “The Jaeger boy? The one with the missing sister.”

His superior clapped his hands and grinned around his cigar. “Yes, that’s the one! Quick mind, Kruger, quick mind! I always knew you and I would make it to the top one day.”

Kruger refrained from pointing out the power gap between them, because he was forcing his clenched hands to relax below the tabletop where Gross couldn’t see them.

“Anyway, the Jaeger’s boy enrolled in the Warrior program, that business with those Titans, you see? And when he got wind of his parent’s desire for a new Eldia, well, he came down here straight away!”

Sergeant-Major Gross rambled on but Kruger wasn’t listening, though he nodded at the appropriate intervals. He wanted to curse, cry, put his head in his hands, or empty his pistol into the man across from him and raze this district to rubble, but he knew none of that was possible. He was at the end of his rope, and so was the Attack Titan. They were fucked.

_____________________

Kruger had maintained a stony silence throughout every screaming blood-soaked interrogation, had spent the boat ride to Paradis staring out at the ocean and thinking of any possible way he could have saved the Restorationists. Only when the pale beach of the island came into sight did he finally admit to himself that it was inevitable. Saying it out loud would’ve been stupid, but he rolled an Eldian prayer to their ancestors inside his mind as men and women were stabbed in the neck and thrown from the sea wall. It was literally the least he could do, but maintaining his cover had become so ingrained, Eren Kruger doubted he could break it without a truly extraordinary situation.

He felt something convulse inside his torso and nearly fell to his knees as something important inside him stopped working. He was pretty sure that was his kidney. Ah yes, he’d almost forgotten about the Curse of Ymir.

“Hey Kruger, you ok?” asked one of his subordinates, a spectacled man named Vrunn, and the gaunt Kruger stood and adjusted his cap. “Just tripped on the stairs coming back down, that’s all. How many left today?”

Vrunn consulted a clipboard, shifting the rifle over his shoulder. “Three still in the hold.” They journeyed back down as the air shook with the second round of transformations and the terrified screams of the waiting doomed. When Kruger saw Dinah Fritz’s quietly devastated expression, he nearly lost control, nearly slammed the man in front of him into the wall and beat the Marleyan to death with his bare hands. But the man was only doing his job, just as Kruger was, and Kruger had done far worse in the name of Marley, Eldia, and the Attack Titan. They manhandled the last three Eldians out onto the dock and Kruger looked up to see Grisha’s distinctive brown mop still stationary at the far end of the platform. Probably Gross still playing with his food, which just gave Kruger more indecision. He would die shortly, and there were two excellent candidates for the Attack Titan here, one of whom he was dragging up the stone stairs. _Dinah or Grisha? Dinah or Grisha_? The question echoed in his mind and he reached out, expecting the Attack Titan to nudge him the way it had dozens of his predecessors, but it was silent. It was…waiting, which made a ball of disgust tighten in Kruger’s stomach. All his life he’d let the Titan direct him around like a pawn on a chessboard, and now it wanted him to make his own damn decisions? Infuriating.

Dinah had the blood of Kings within her and if she used the Attack Titan to devour the Coordinate, the day of Eldian freedom would come much sooner. But she didn’t have the same drive Grisha did. Where he was active, she was patient. Where he burned with anger and drive to restore Eldia, he sensed Dinah had already given up. As he and Vrunn dragged her along the wall, she didn’t even try to resist. _The Attack Titan showed him a faint memory, a girl barely into womanhood, swollen with child again and again, without pause, the pain of birth as regular and as fresh as breathing. Mother had never had the chance to love her human daughters the way she wanted to. The King would not allow it, and she had sworn to obey his wishes._

Kruger felt like he was going to puke and swallowed down his gorge. The Titan was right, as much as it burned him to admit it. He couldn’t force such a fate upon Dinah. For once, being a Titan would be a mercy. _Once again, a still image of blood on flowers, and a hand pushing against a larger, smiling Titan. A Titan with blonde hair._

Kruger understood and wished he didn’t. Dinah was the Attack Titan’s ace in the hole, just in case. Allowing her to run wild in Paradis was the only remaining option, because it kept her out of the game, for now. Grisha really was their only choice. Of course, the moment the man saw his wife kneel beside him, love and gratitude written all over her face, directed only at him, he began to scream.

“What is this? Don’t you understand? I told you, she’s royal-“

Kruger drove his successor into the stone face first, stunning him briefly as he gave Grisha a glare that he hoped communicated the importance of _shutting the hell up._

Gross was unaffected by the display as Kruger prayed he hadn’t just tipped their hand. “Ugh, he’s so noisy, just turn him into a Titan already.”

Still, Kruger owed it to both of his victims to observe their final moments, so he allowed Grisha to pull back to a kneeling position as the depressor slid home and the needle pierced the flesh of the Last True Daughter of YMIR. It was a penance, for whatever small portion of his life remained before Grisha devoured him. “Grisha I-whatever happens to me, I will find you.”

She fell and Kruger shielded his eyes from the blinding light, but he could not block out the sound of Grisha’s heart shattering in its wake. His scream reverberated across the shore, through the empty space, and deep inside Kruger to reach the Attack Titan. The Paths pulsed with meaning, and years into the future, Eren Jaeger awoke with the same howled name on his lips.

_The closer the moment came, the closer the Attack Titan rose to the surface. Normally, it held back, to give their Shifter some dignity, some last moments as a person, but now, this moment, was too important. They could feel eyes watching, an invisible gaze sweeping over the sea, the ship, the wall, and the tiny humans clustered atop it. It ignored the fat man’s babbling and watched as Dinah Fritz’s Titan strode away over the horizon. One day…one day, the suffering would all be worth it. Dinah would have understood, she had been kind and loving. Desperate, in her desire to see her son grow up free and proud, desperate to see him be the King she knew he could be. But still kind. Zeke had given them up and shattered their family like a plank of rotted wood. The Attack Titan knew something about shattered families, to be sure. That was why they were here after all._

Gross was shoving Grisha forward, face alight with dark glee and the Attack Titan felt its own anger and Kruger’s long-restrained animosity combine into a single, savored, shove. Gross fell backwards into thin air, a look of total surprise on his face and they savored it like a sweet wine. Grisha was in shock. “Wh-Why did you do that?”

 _The Attack Titan felt pride, long discarded, swell in Kruger as he tossed his hat to the sand far below._ “Because I’m the Owl, Grisha.”

His Titan could not truly speak, but in this moment, there was no distinction between them. Kruger’s mouth and mind spoke the words, but they were infused with the weight of his Titan’s long-awaited return. “Watch closely, and don’t forget. _This is how We of the Nine use our power.”_

Lightning rushed down and collided with the concrete with staggering force as the rage of a Titan caged for one-hundred and six years was unleashed upon its enemies once more. The Attack Titan felt like laughing as he leaped into the water, sending waves across the docks and swamping the soldiers who were raising shaky guns. He ducked down as bullets aimed for his head and put his back against the hull of the boat. With a roar of satisfaction and the crack of splintering wood, the last Loyal Son of YMIR shattered the Marleyan vessel with ease. After that, the soldiers were simply grapes to be crushed.

________________________

As Kruger spoke with Grisha, exhorting him to continue their fight, the only fight that truly mattered, the Attack Titan felt those eyes again, warmth against his Will. The only person who had ever felt like that had been-

He lifted up out of Kruger, green eyes and skeletal expression searching, only to see a young man in a white collared shirt standing next to Grisha. The Titan drifted back down, moving through its dying Shifter as blood flowed from his nose. _Eren Jager._

Now that he looked closer, his final Shifter was younger than the man he had met before. His hair was shorter, cropped close and slightly mussed from sleep, and he was clean-shaven. Understanding dawned on the Attack Titan. They were both moving through time, converging at points Mother, or perhaps a later Eren, had known they should see. Even at this late stage, the Paths still held surprises for the Nine, which the Attack Titan found to be something of a relief.

Fighting for freedom by limiting its expression in others had always been a moral puzzle the Titan had pondered in the dark hours of the night, but it had never been a philosophical creature. It had broached the subject once or twice with the Colossal, the Founder, and the Beast, in order of preference, but had been rather vague. Of the three, he felt certain only the Founder had an inkling of his future-sight, but their parental substitute had been missing for so long, and somnolescent for ages even before the Revolution, that the knowledge was likely long forgotten. Still, best to be sure… _Eren Jaeger, Last Shifter, First Hunter, do you sense my presence? Are you unbound by the tides of history?_ The boy did not answer, focused on Kruger’s explanation of the limits of Titan Shifting, the Curse of Ymir. He could not hear the Titan who would one day lead him to freedom. However, the Attack Titan’s eyes narrowed as something in the apparition seemed familiar. A note on a bell, muffled by heavy cloth and distance. The blue-green glimmer of a great shining tree in a sea of stars. The Founding Titan was within him, but its presence was somehow muted, lessened. The vast Will, more powerful and knowing than any of its brethren was now a foetal existence, for it did not acknowledge its green-eyed brother.

The Attack Titan roared, soundless and loud in its desperation, but the Founder did not respond, not even to stir in its sleep. Troubling at the very least. Had the Founder destroyed itself? Some misbegotten attempt by a mad King to annihilate the Will of the first of the Titans? Had the Beast done something to it even before the War? No, then the construction of the Walls would not have been possible. The Attack Titan knew it could not let its loathing of some siblings override caution. Not now, when it was so close to Eren Jaeger, to Mother. Kruger was almost finished, he had to plant the right seeds within Grisha. The Titan drifted back and merged once more with its Shifter, thinking about the boy who had yet to be born, the generation whose children would shake the foundations of the world. It entwined itself around Kruger, showing him memories of a brown-haired, kind-eyed woman, two small children running alongside Eren, the sound of laughter and the warm contentment of love which had not yet bloomed in Grisha’s heart. Kruger spoke. “Someone down the line could be watching this.” _They were_. “When you enter the Walls, you must love someone. Your wife, your child, someone from the city, doesn’t matter. Otherwise this cycle, these mistakes of the past, will happen again and again.”

The Attack Titan thought of Zeke, cloaked in the form of the Beast, and felt sorrow. Despite his treachery, the boy did not deserve to be shackled to the cruelest of its brothers. Dinah’s hopes had been right, if things had been different, the boy truly could have been a great King. But they all lived in reality, so “if” had little meaning to the Nine Titans. Memories could only manipulate so much, and causality had to be maintained. Action, reaction. Cause, effect. No matter the intent, there would be consequences. The Attack Titan had always been willing to accept those consequences, because no matter how bloody, they would eventually free Mother. The Nine Titans were powerful indeed, YMIR even more so, but love, that emotion even the Nine experienced in all its subtleties and twisted aberrations, remained the most powerful force in the world. The Attack Titan loved its Mother very much, and it knew the Jaegers had loved ones of their own. Everyone deserved some small shard of happiness to hold onto in their lives. It remembered…

_A grand victory against the armies of Dolrun, dearly won even with three of the Nine present. The sheer number of arrows blotted out the sun, the charge of the war elephants shook the Earth as they rushed to meet the Titans, and its siblings charged alongside it. A roar rose from human throats as Eldians and Dolrunites alike met in a clash of steel, shields, and colliding bodies. Each man wanted to kill, but they also wanted to live too. One could not happen without the other. The Attack Titan felt that familiar savage joy well within it and roared a challenge as it braced its feet and leaned into the elephantine charge. One ivory tusk had gored it through the abdomen, and the trunk was wrapping around its throat, cutting off its roar as air became scarce. A hardened blade came down, severing both tusk and trunk in a spray of blood and a cry of pain that pulled at its Shifter’s heart, as the Attack Titan turned to meet the Warhammer’s eyes. She was grinning behind the mesh of her helm and a gravelly voice came from it. “ **Watch yourself cousin, my sister will be most disappointed if you were no longer there to share her bed.”**_

_The Attack Titan could not speak, of course, but it winked at the Warhammer in thanks as it shoved another pachyderm away and the Cart Titan bounded alongside, a battalion of archers on its back raining arrows and javelins into the vulnerable creature’s face. That night, in the jubilation of victory, the Warhammer had convinced them to walk among the human soldiery and soon all three Shifters were at the center of a party that expanded moment by moment. Courtesans of varied genders and attires drifted past and the Warhammer sighed as its shifter tackled an unfortunate man in silks and dragged him in the direction of a tent. “I think this promises to be much better entertainment, brothers.”_

_The Attack Titan grinned up at her as it laid on its back and cheering, drunken soldiers brought forward another cart of melons they had bought/liberated from the abandoned market. Steuben Faramond and Godot Kruger had both been horribly drunk and had bet an appalling sum of money which one of their Titans could fit more melons into its mouth. All four of them, Titan and Shifter alike, were indulging the cheers as a convoy of melons passed up and into each Titan’s open mouth as a man in a tilted fez added hash mark after hash mark to a chalkboard. “37..38..39..40! 40 for the Cart Titan and Lord Faramond! Lord Kruger? 35..36..37..Perhaps the Attack Titan has reached its limit!”_

_A chorus of groans had sounded from the crowd and even the Warhammer was laughing, her helm pulled back so both of them could see her face. Neither of her brothers had that luxury because they were trying very hard not to choke. While Steuben Faramond’s Titan mouth was blatantly bigger, Godot Kruger had a secret advantage: as a “sword swallower” solely interested in men, he had long ago learned to suppress his gag reflex and such a skill had allowed the Attack Titan to inhale far more melons than its jawline would suggest. If any of them had been sober, if this contest had any true rules, the melons now in its throat would have been considered cheating. Good thing none of them were sober. The Warhammer drifted down to examine the Attack Titan’s straining jaw with a critical eye. “I’’m sure you can fit three more melons, if only for your pride.”_

_The Attack Titan allowed the thought to drift into the inebriated mind of its Shifter, who raised three massive fingers to a chorus of cheers and the exchange of money. The melons were stacked atop the already considerable pile with great ceremony. 38..39..There was a moment of hushed silence as the Attack Titan’s nose twitched. Some crafty bastard had smuggled a vast bundle of pepper close to its nose, Treachery! Foul treachery! The 40 th melon was crammed in behind its lower jaw just before the Attack Titan finally gave in._

_It convulsed in an enormous sneeze, nearly bending in half at the waist, such was the force of the expulsion as its jaw snapped shut in instinctual human reaction. A fountain of Titan saliva, tough melon rind, and juicy pink innards flew up and out in all directions, carried by the strong breeze, and the disgusted groans of the soldiers. The Attack Titan sat up and wiped its juice-drenched jaw, its expression so thoroughly annoyed and disgusted with itself that soon the Cart Titan was laughing too. Its Shifter had the misfortune to be partially out of the Titan body as he downed another mug of ale and covered the precious drink with his body as more melons rained down from the heavens and sprayed out in a horizontal arc, covering the nearest spectators in fruit-based gore. If the Warhammer had sides, she would have been clutching them, but the phantom pains were real enough, so great was her mirth. Soon the humor spread all across the army, until every Eldian even mildly intoxicated was chuckling and pulling bits of bright pink melon from the hair of the person next to them. When the judge, an administrator of the newly liberated city, declared the contest a tie, bags of coin were exchanged with good humor and the revelry continued long into the night. Even the hangover the Shifters suffered the next day had been worth it. A good memory. A loving memory. Back when they had been a family._

Yes, even for the Nine, love was important. But Grisha needed one last piece, one breadcrumb that would lead the Erens of the past and future to where they were supposed to be. The Attack Titan drew on a fragmentary memory Grisha himself would one day experience as he stared into the tear-soaked eyes of his son, who would see it once more when locked in a crystal cave. Kruger spoke with a distant, distracted voice. “If you want to save Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else, complete your mission.”

Grisha was, of course, confused. “Mikasa, Armin? Who is that?”

The Attack Titan grinned and withdrew as Kruger held the memory in his mind. He could see the moment from Grisha and from Eren, and the image wavered as two perspectives of the same instant warred simultaneously before converging. Now, at the very end, as the sun set below the horizon, things became clear to him. “Hmmm…I don’t know. Whose memories are these?”

The Eren behind him blinked in surprise and looked up. For an instant, he saw green eyes which winked at him, then he was gone as the memory ended. But in the present, a needle slid hone into Grisha’s neck as Eren Kruger let out a sigh which had been building for years. At last, he could rest…

_Goodbye Eren Kruger,_ said the Attack Titan with a mix of pride and regret. _Your family has carried out the duty YMIR entrusted to you, even to the very end. You alone of the Nine families, have not failed her, and for that I thank you. Goodbye, my friends. I will find you again, when I rejoin the Paths._

But the corpse at their feet gave no reply. Grisha’s Titan looked to the horizon, towards the Walls, and began to run. The Attack Titan merely watched in silence. For once it couldn’t even feel the bloody satisfaction of the Marleyan deaths from earlier. It stared ahead into the future, with anticipation and more than a little dread. Soon, it would meet once more with the Founding Titan. And the King would be called to account.

______________________

It was freeing, to be able to run like this once more, to feel the wind on the Attack Titan’s face. The grass under its feet, the slope and dip of the terrain, to be a part of the living world, to be real once again. It had fought in the shadows for so long, guiding its Shifters with the gentlest of drifting thoughts, usually followed by scrambling, pulse-pounding dashes through alleyways or through darkened buildings. Hiding. Surviving. That wasn’t living. Not to the Attack Titan, anyway. Not like this.

Grisha was mostly asleep within its nape, so the Attack Titan kept going, using the repeated firing neurons in Grisha’s brain to keep him in that somnolent state that was the closest the Nine could come to true control of their bodies. Simple actions were the easiest, and running in a straight line at night was no problem at all. Still, the Attack Titan tilted its head up to look at the sky and drank in the beauty of Paradis. Marley had configured every one of its cities to use electrical lights now, and even the dimmest streetlamps blotted out the stars in the sky. Most of the time, the Attack Titan and its Shifters hadn’t minded, but now...

They slowed as the Attack Titan felt a pang of regret pulse through it, so foreign to its nature. It…it had missed seeing the stars, the constellations of both Eldia and Marley, the stories associated with each. It missed its brother, the Colossal Titan, who had lifted other Shifters to its shoulders as the small figure leaning out of the nape spoke about comet trajectories, star formation, and other celestial phenomena they could apparently predict. A massive hand clutched at its chest and Grisha Jaeger began to stir from some vague dream. “Dinah, where?” he murmured into the steaming muscle around him and the Attack Titan found it did not have the heart to bring him back to this cruel world just yet. _Hush Grisha,_ it suggested to his brain, _go back to sleep._ Perhaps the lie worked because Grisha wanted to believe it, perhaps he was simply tired. Either way, he fell back into a half-slumber and the Attack Titan began to run once more.

As long strides ate up the miles before them, green eyes glowed in the darkness and saw clusters of the Mindless scattered across the landscape, fallen where the sunlight had left them, as the day had ended. The Beast had once rambled on during a particularly boring Court session about the ambient solar energy Mindless Titans had to draw from to maintain their movements without the Founder to guide them. It had been a sign of how dull the conversation about fishing rates had been that the Attack Titan had listened. One way or another, the rest of the Nine would come to Paradis and the last Loyalist Titan wasn’t entirely sure how it would greet them. There was still plenty of rage, of course. They had spent the past hundred years subjugating the people Mother had made them to champion, a boot on the face of the world, denying them freedom. That was intolerable to the green-eyed Titan. Still, it was One of Nine and for all its independence and age, 106 years was a very long time to not speak with one’s siblings. Perhaps when Mother was free, she could begin to help piece their family back together the way it used to be. Only one way to find out.

_____________________

As its many Shifters had complained and joked in equal measure, for every twenty corpses that could be laid at the Attack Titan’s feet, there was usually a baby to offset them. When Zeke had been born, the Attack Titan had been nowhere near Grisha and Dinah Jaeger, and the last two births it had been involved with had at least been in a modern hospital and attended to by an experienced midwife, respectively. By contrast, Grisha and Carla Jaeger’s home within Shiganshina District, Wall Maria, had the stench of worry and desperation. Or perhaps that was just the shit and amniotic fluid. No, human births were always unpleasant affairs to some degree, to the point Armor had started to avoid its Shifters when the miracle of Life came flowing out of a human woman. The Attack Titan was simply glad its family had a more abstract sort of birth, with more yellow lightning and less fluids.

At the moment it was doing its best to shove feelings of calm into Grisha Jaeger’s mind. It wasn’t helping much as Carla clutched the sides of the table and screamed as contractions increased in intensity and length. They had prepared the best they could, had a room all ready for the baby. (Eren if it was a boy, Griselde if she was a girl. However, Grisha was painfully aware of the medical gap between the Walls and the outside world, because it kept him up at night. He’d doused their “operating room” in alcohol, wore gloves, a mask, and a heavy coat, everything in his power and sparing no expense to ensure his child and wife would survive. The Attack Titan kept reaching back, expecting to open the Kruger’s long Ancestral Memory to rifle through for sage advice, tips, and experience from a hundred female Shifters and twice as many midwives, but they were all gone. The line had been broken and Grisha’s presence meant it would never be recovered. However, the Attack Titan’s own memory stretched back twice as long, though it was considerably less precise, so that would have to do.

It nudged an idea forward and Grisha’s conscious mind seized at it with the strength of a drowning man. _Compress._ He turned to the pale blonde man with the pencil mustache hovering by the door awaiting instructions in a brown Garrison uniform. “Hans, get more warm water for the compress, use the pot on the stove, the large one! Quickly!” he snapped as the man appeared to hesitate slightly.

The poor bystander disappeared in a flash as Carla let out something that was somewhere between a sigh of relief and a groan as the latest contraction eased. “How much longer?” They’d been at this for several hours and she’d nearly crushed Grisha’s hand twice. With all the commotion, a little steam repairing torn ligaments was unnoticed. Grisha bent to check, his spare hand holding a pair of metallic forceps with measuring marks on them, which had been a gift from Lord Balto’s young wife in Wall Sina. Her labor had been twice as long, but hopefully they would share the same happy ending. “Nine and a half centimeters, darling. You’re almost there!”

Grisha held up a hand mirror, which was slightly tarnished at the edges, but allowed Carla to see their baby. She began to take deeper breaths as she could feel the next contraction coming on, but tilted her head as she took the curved surface in. “Is it supposed to be so-whew-yellow?”

The Attack Titan was impressed at how well Grisha was able to hide his concern, his eyes soothing and gentle with a calm they did not feel. “It’s just bile, dear. The natural humors of the body aren’t always pretty, that’s why I sent Hans for more water.”

“Okay, okay,” Carla broke off as the contraction hit and began to scream again, her voice already ragged from strain and use. Grisha and his Titan saw movement and both grimaced. “Dear, I need both hands now. Carla?”

She was beyond their reach, every effort focused on the muscles pushing, flexing, straining beneath her abdomen and only the strength of a Shifter pried Grisha’s hand from her vice grip. Two gloved hands guided the head out, cradling it with the utmost possible care as a wave of blood and less savory fluids sloshed down over the side of the table. Yes, the gloves had been a very good idea. The door opened behind them and Hans gagged as the smell hit him, but bless YMIR, he’d brought the water. Grisha’s eyes never left his child as he gave instructions. “Take the cup in the corner and pour half a glass onto the table here, over my hands, as gently as possible. I need to see what I’m doing, and we don’t want to risk secondary infection.”

The water trickled down slowly at first, then faster at the doctor’s silent command, washing away the unpleasantness as Carla groaned in release to reveal-

Hans leaned away from the table. “What is that?”

A wet fleshy sac writhed in Grisha’s cradling grip and he held out one hand. “Caul, full of amniotic fluid. Scalpel.”

“Are you sure-“

“Scalpel!”

The overwhelmed soldier silently kicked himself for volunteering for this position. Dr. Jaeger had saved his sister, but this was beyond Hans' experience and only Carla’s voice kept him in the room. He handed over the wickedly sharp blade as Grisha lowered the trembling thing to the table. The doctor muttered a prayer to YMIR as he ran his hands over the hidden baby, feeling the shape of his child. A small cut near the nostrils for breath, then a slow removal process. As he worked and Hans tended to a shaking Carla, the Attack Titan added a few more prayers, just in case. Mother had always loved helping the Founder with births.

With a sucking sound and a resurgence of clear fluid that washed over their boots, the caul peeled open to reveal a bright red baby, who immediately began howling his arrival to the world. Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief as Grisha washed the baby and pronounced him a perfectly healthy boy. He quickly patted their son down and swaddled him in green cloth as Carla reached for the fruit of her labors. Her husband was babbling in relief to Hans about the rarity of a cauled birth, only 1 in 80,000 and how already this was a miracle from YMIR, but Carla needed no convincing. Even red and wriggling, he was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. “Welcome to the world, Eren Jaeger,” she whispered with a tired smile. “It’s so good to see you.”

Grisha kept alternating between staring at his second son positively glowing with love, and attempting some haphazard cleanup, until Hans took pity on the man and took on the task himself. The new family deserved some privacy, after all.

_A man in a long black jacket flickered into existence, the sunlight from the window shining through him, and his severe expression softened as he looked at the scene. The set of his jaw eased, his hands relaxed, and his shoulders fell as he saw his mother and father talking quietly over the now sleeping baby. He lifted a hand towards his mother and absently brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen across her face._ Grisha caught the movement out of the corner of his eye but thought nothing of it. He had a second son, a second life, a second chance. Like he’d promised Kruger, he wouldn’t waste this one.

_Eren Jaeger looked into his parent’s faces, so full of love, pride, and joy, as his eyes filled with tears. Unseen by all, hidden by the power of the Founder, he allowed himself to cry. For what had been, what was, and what would be. Mikasa’s words came back to him and they had never tasted so true. “This world may be cruel, but it is also beautiful.” The last Titan Shifter rubbed at his face with the back of his hand and he was gone._

_The Attack Titan drifted out of Grisha to examine the child, so much like the hundreds of others it had helped deliver or secure in hiding, depending on the year. And yet, he was different somehow. Perhaps because he was the last link in a very long chain. Perhaps because he had chosen himself from within the Paths. Perhaps because YMIR wanted him to rescue her and would guide his journey with fragile gossamer threads of fate. Perhaps, as Carla said, simply because he was born into this world._

_Hello Eren Jaeger,_ said the Attack Titan, its expression surprisingly gentle for such a monstrous face. _I look forward to watching you grow up._

__________________________________

The first time Grisha was reminded of the names Eren Kruger had spoken, he was sitting in a small café next to Carla in Shiganshina District, enjoying an afternoon lunch and a rare moment of peace. He’d just taken a sip of his sole indulgence, a glass of Wall-grown spirit called Vine, when someone passing by said the name “Armin”. He nearly spat out the Vine, but it was too expensive this far from Wall Sina, so he swallowed it with more force than strictly necessary. He excused himself from Carla’s presence, blaming the bathroom, and dove into the crowd at the first opportunity. The man in the straw hat who had been speaking was conversing with a much younger, anxious man, with vivid blonde hair and a worried expression. Grisha drifted closer to listen, every iota of his attention focused on the topic. The younger man continued,

“Look, I just think the rhyming gives his name a certain charm, don’t you Father? Armin Arlert.” The man savored the name, repeating it several times. “See, it flows off the tongue, and if the boy is as clever as we are, well, he could do all sorts of things with a name like that. Any shop he opened could have two A’s for a symbol, very distinctive, even in illiterate Maria.”

The older man grunted a reluctant assent. “Already my son, you assume too much. It could be a girl. Do not let your visions of the future cloud your examination of what is in the now. You know your wife dearly wants a girl, why add any more pressure during a pregnancy? We still need to find a doctor, considering the last one had been taking certain liberties with patients.”

Grisha’s brow furrowed and the Attack Titan perked up. _Abuse of the vulnerable was always a cause it would champion, no matter their nationality, no matter the risk._ That was why cautious Shifters tended to age faster than others, out of the sheer strain of holding back the being caged inside their flesh. The man in question had been accused by several women of inappropriate conduct and when the two other doctors in Shiganshina refused to defend him, the Garrison had castrated him. It was a black mark on the medical community Dr. Jaeger was well aware of, but even so, he smelled opportunity. The Attack Titan nudged him forward, but the man was already moving of his own volition, needing no prompting at all. Grisha, for all his faults, was a good man.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” said Grisha Yaeger, pulling a small leather pouch from his breastcoat, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation and I simply had to step in. Mister Thorold’s actions have been a stain on our profession and as a medical doctor, I would like to offer your family any help I can, especially with something as delicate as a pregnancy.” He offered his hand, and the younger man took it, eyes shining with gratitude.

“Sebren Arlert, and you are?”

“Doctor Grisha Yaeger, I studied at the University in Wall Sina briefly, but found my work here in Maria to be much more fulfilling.”

At his words, the Arlerts exchanged a look and their body language became much less guarded. “So, you’re the Grisha Yaeger who cured that sickness four years ago?” Grisha demurred, while inside him the Attack Titan snorted in pride. _Curing a disease across vast swathes of the Walls without the aid of the Founder was a significant achievement and Grisha deserved to be lauded for it. False modesty did not become him_. His Shifter coughed and gave an embarrassed smile as he continued. “Well, I was on my way to meet my wife, but as a doctor, I felt I must offer your family my services, if only to repair some of the damages Mr. Veld has done to our profession. If you wish to speak with my former patients, I can cite the Mullers and the Kleins, if you worry about my credentials. I’ve found enough success here I can afford to alter the price of my services depending on the needs of my patients, so price is no worry for your family. Also, though it might be overstepping my bounds, I would like to add I successfully delivered my own son not four months hence.” Grisha could feel the sweat pouring down his back, but the Arlerts seemed to accept his speech. The grey-tinged patriarch nodded while his son (presumably the father) looked blindly grateful.

“Thank you, Doctor Jaeger, we appreciate your generous offer in these trying times. If the Kleins speak well of you, we shall reach out within the week. Meaning no disrespect, but these are delicate matters we speak of.”

The Shifter bowed his head in acquiescence. “I understand. If you ever wish to find me, my home and practice is at 4275 Jotun Street.”

Both groups parted and Grisha headed back in the direction of his wife and their café. It had been a short discussion, but he felt the sweat drenching his back nonetheless. His first clue, perhaps, to the mysteries of the Walls, based on a name Eren Kruger had let slip years before. “Armin Arlert,” he mused as he waved apologetically at his wife from the street and slipped inside the café. “What stories will you tell, I wonder?”

As it happened, Grisha had no need to seek out the Ackermans, because they came to him. While midnight visitors to his clinic were not entirely unexpected, Grisha was still startled out of sleep by Carla’s urgent rocking and quiet use of his name. Even after all this time, his time as a Restorationist had him sleep like a soldier, able to be instantly, completely awake with a clear mind. After all, it wasn’t paranoia if all of Marley really was out to get you.

As he put on his glasses and threw a shirt on, Carla filled him in. “There are two people at the door in hooded cloaks asking for Doctor Yaeger, and they don’t seem like Military Police.” His wife didn’t know everything about what he did, both as a doctor and as a spy, but she knew enough to worry about the MPs. If she ever asked for more details, Grisha would of course tell her, but she seemed content with blissful ignorance. Considering his time tortured in Marley, he understood her feelings.

“Head down to the basement, just in case. Either way, I may need some of the supplies in the cabinets.” He planted a swift kiss on her cheek and they moved downstairs. Grisha leaned over and scraped his palm along the protruding nail he’d left underneath the top coat hanger next to the door. It drew blood and he opened the door slightly to find two cloaked figures, just as Carla had said. Both were rather tall, but they didn’t stand like Military Police. The slightly taller one was half-hidden in the shadows and both of them hunched close to one another. A voice floated out, but he couldn’t tell who it was from. “You’re Doctor Jaeger, yes?”

Grisha nodded. “Is anyone hurt?”

“Not immediately, but we thought it best to seek your counsel. You are known as a trustworthy doctor when it comes to...ah, feminine issues.”

“Say no more,” Grisha let the door swing wider and ushered both figures inside, taking their cloaks to reveal a young, nervous-looking couple. Once their faces were revealed Grisha understood immediately, for the young woman was from the Oriental clan, a group who were already vanishingly rare inside the Walls thanks to the government. He bowed slightly and the young woman seemed taken aback as she returned it, her voice cautious. “You are a well-travelled man Doctor Jaeger. However, we were hoping you could help us with this.” She opened her cloak fully to reveal a swollen belly, already well into her pregnancy. Grisha’s face turned grave, but he gestured for the woman to cover herself. “My apologies, I really should have asked your names, as you already know mine.”

The slightly shorter man offered his hand and the doctor took it. “Graft Ackerman, sir, and my wife Tsuhine.”

_The Attack Titan rarely felt glee, but now it was positively giddy at its success. The Ackerman clan had survived._

“Believe me,” said Grisha, meaning every word, “The pleasure is all mine. Come, let us speak in my office.” He led them down the stairs and, as he opened the door saw them balk at the underground space. “Rest assured, both of you are quite safe with my wife and I. The basement is simply where I keep my medical supplies, some of the more delicate drugs lose their potency in sunlight.” He entered and left the door open as first Graft Ackerman, then Tsuhine entered. Carla was hovering anxiously by the desk but her face smoothed as soon as she saw the other woman. This did indeed seem to be a medical matter, so after brief introductions, she quietly excused herself. Grisha waited until the door had closed before he began again. “Now then, Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman, as a doctor I must be blunt. Approximately how long have you been expecting a child?”

Tsuhine counted on her fingers and looked to her husband for confirmation. “About four months, I think?” Graft confirmed her account as the doctor sat silently for some time stroking his beard. “My apologies then Mrs. Ackerman. I’m afraid you are simply too far along in your pregnancy for me to perform an abortion. Not only would it be dangerous for your own health, it would be unethical.”

Both the Ackermans looked shocked and Graft reflexively moved in front of his wife in a defensive stance. Tsuhine turned away in fear but then her face brightened as she absorbed his words. “Doctor Jaeger, I fear you’ve misunderstood our purpose here tonight. We sought your help to bring Mikasa into this world, not to leave it.”

 _The second name. Mikasa Ackerman._ Grisha pushed his glasses up along the bridge of his nose to hide his shocked expression and to give himself time to marshal his thoughts. He cleared his throat and gave a slightly shaky smile. “Again, I must beg for your apology Mrs. Ackerman. It’s just that usually when young women seek my home in the dead of night, cloaked and fearful, they have different designs in mind.”

“Have you really had so many of those calls?” asked Graft Ackerman.

“Let’s just say I’ve had enough of them to be familiar with the procedure. But if you were concerned enough to visit me, what makes you think there is any danger to your wife’s health or the baby’s?”

“Nothing in particular, just…” Graft worried at the floor with the tip of his shoe, a nervous tic. “Well, both of us are from fairly small families, with a history of unpleasantness with the Crown until recently. It’s why we came out here to Shiganshina when originally, we were both in Wall Rose. We just wanted to be sure our child could be born into this world and live a good life here. It’s what I’ve done, but my father wasn’t so lucky apparently. So, will you help us?”

Grisha’s smile was warm and reassuring. “With everything in my power.”

They spoke into the early hours of the morning, long enough that Carla had brewed them all a pot of green tea and gone back to bed. From that day forward, the Ackermans and the Jaegers corresponded regularly until Mikasa Ackerman was born in the snowy afternoon of February 10th. Armin had arrived several months earlier, on a dark November night, but Grisha kept in regular correspondence with both families.

The Ackermans were content with their lives tending to a small farm in the countryside some distance behind Shiganshina, but the Arlerts lived only a few streets away. Both were keen scientists in their own ways and had come to Shiganshina to escape closer observation from the MPs for their experiments in aeronautics, not that they called it that. Grisha kept most of his knowledge close to his chest but gave them a rare and highly illegal text about geography he’d “acquired” on a visit to Wall Sina. He’d hoped the Arlerts would be satisfied with that, but instead it just spurred them on to new heights of enthusiasm. When Armin was three, the Arlerts left for the countryside to test their hot air balloon and never returned.

Grisha kept his head down for six months after that, acting solely as a doctor, because he knew the Military Police would be sniffing around the Arlert’s acquaintances. However, his reputation with the Interior was apparently enough to dissuade scrutiny, for the Jaegers were unbothered by anyone wearing the unicorn sigil on their jackets. As a symbol of the monarchy, Grisha thought it paled compared to the nine-pointed Eldian Spark he’d been so familiar with, but perhaps that was the point. A clean break from the past for the Eldians in the walls. A chance to start over.

Grisha had done that as well, when he’d discovered the Paridisans remembered nothing of the outside world. When he’d first arrived in the Walls, the first five years or so, he’d made repeated trips to Wall Sina and soon found the truth. The minor Reiss house was the true royal family and the “King Fritz” on the throne was nothing more than a pretended to the name. Thinking of Fritzs also made him think of Dinah and Zeke, so Grisha reigned himself in. He would not make the same mistakes with his new family, who he loved no less than his first. He was still devoted to a free Eldia, but it did not have to happen in his lifetime. His short lifetime. Grisha stared at the hidden trapdoor in the Reiss’s church and turned away. The Attack Titan could be passed to Keith Shadis, or perhaps he would simply allow it to pass into someone else when he died. His son, his family, were more important than any Titan.

Sometimes, the guilt made him work late into the night, often falling asleep at his desk and his dreams then were rarely kind. He’d been thinking of Zeke, as he often did when nights grew long. Grisha knew he had pushed too hard, had forced his ideas onto a boy he’d never once thought of as his son, only a vehicle for the restoration of Eldia. He’d fallen asleep when the thought drifted across his consciousness. _If you could only say one thing to your estranged son, what would you say?_

“Zeke,” he murmured. “I’m so sorry.” He awoke with a start, somewhere half between sleeping and waking as the Attack Titan felt something, no, someone, move through the Paths. An old man, yellow beard and long hair going grey, stood in Grisha’s basement with a shocked expression on his face. “Is that you, Zeke?” he asked, fumbling for his glasses, which had slid down to rest on his still-open book. But when he rubbed his eyes and put them on, the man had vanished. “No..” Grisha said to himself, voice heavy with both sleep and regret, “that old man couldn’t have been my son. Just a dream.”

 _The Attack Titan narrowed its eyes and cast around through the near future and the past, but there was nothing. Nearly nothing, rather. It wasn’t as attuned to the Paths as Mother or the Founder, but it could sense an absence where there should be a presence. Someone was there, shielding themselves in some way beyond even the Attack Titan’s green sight. It spent the entire week inside Grisha sifting through the memory of the night, but the details slipped through their grasp like sand._ By morning Grisha had already dismissed it as a dream.

When Eren was five, it happened again, but Grisha didn’t notice. Understandable, as he had his young, smiling son balancing on top of his own shoes as they walked along the side of a canal. Fatherhood suited Grisha in a way it had not before, eased some of the craters in his soul. For the most part, the Attack Titan was impatient with its Shifter. They had found the hiding place of the Founder, whatever force had dimmed and dulled its Will, and such a travesty could not be allowed to stand. The Attack Titan did not much like the Founder, but at the end of the day they were family. Even to the most independent of the Nine, that meant something. But Grisha had turned away. He wanted to live the rest of his days in peace, with his wife and son, with a happy family. The Attack Titan knew this was a futile dream, but any suggestions it drifted into its Shifter’s subconscious were ignored outright. The Nine could influence their Shifters, but they could never force them to act. That was their gift and their curse.

But the Attack Titan’s sullen resignation on that sunny day was disturbed when it noticed the absence within the Paths around it. _That same Someone was here again, cloaking themselves, invisible to the sight of the Nine and the Shifter. Mother perhaps?_ Attack paused its relentless search across space-time as it considered the idea _. Even though its primary goal had always been to free Mother, with control of the Paths, Mother could travel within the memories of Eldians at will. Except, with King Fritz’s conditioning, she had never had the will to do so, because the King and his descendants did not wish it._

The Titan’s Will moved up and down the side of the canal in parallel with Grisha and in anyone else it would have been pacing, but the Nine Titans did not have legs. Still, there was something of that same nervous energy there as it thought. _If this was a Mother from a moment in time after she had been freed, why return to this place, this Shifter, this time? If this was Eren Jaeger, reminiscing over his childhood, as the Attack Titan had seen once already, why hide himself? It couldn’t be Zeke Jaeger, destined to die at thirty, which ruled out the old man._ The Attack Titan growled in irritation. _Someone, perhaps some unknown third party, was playing a game of their own design in the Soul-Architecture of an entire race, and The Attack Titan was sure not one of their siblings would stand for it, save the Beast_. The idea of the Beast gaining the unrestricted power of the Founding Titan, possibly gaining physical control over its body, would have been a cataclysm close to Mad Cromquist Fritz, who had devoured Eight of the Nine in an attempt to become a new YMIR. It was one of the few times the Wills had all worked together, averting a hideous annihilation of the Paths and of Mother. The Attack Titan shuddered and retreated back into Grisha, yet still watchful. Even now, centuries later, that had been a very near thing indeed. Best not to invite calamity by even thinking of the possibility.

The Attack Titan wasn’t superstitious since it was literally a spirit, but the Paths remained a mystery to all but Mother in some ways. And a being who knew the future hated uncertainty like few other things.

________________________________

It was a perfectly normal house call on the Ackermans, one Dr. Jaeger had made several times before. Because Eren had yet to meet the girl Eren Kruger had spoken of, and because he wanted to let his son have friends his own age, he brought Eren along with his cart. The boy clung to the side and stared out over the countryside with interest as he soaked in the semi-wild areas of Wall Maria. Unfortunately, it began to rain as they reached the base of the mountain, so it took them longer than Dr. Jaeger had expected to reach the Ackerman’s small cabin.

“Mikasa?” said Eren with an unimpressed look.

His father sighed. “Yes, Eren. There’s only a few other children in this area, so you should try to get along with her.”

Eren took on the same stubborn expression his mother had when she decided to dig her heels in on a decision. “That depends on her attitude.”

Grisha resisted the urge to frown. “Eren, this is why you only have one friend. You should try to open up a little more around others. Not everyone is like those bullies you and Armin keep running into.” He raised his voice slightly as he knocked again. “Mr. Ackerman, it’s Doctor Jaeger! Pardon the intrusion-“

The door swung open and time seemed to slow as the abattoir within revealed itself, along with the stench of freshly spilled blood. His instincts as a doctor warred with his instincts as a parent. To check on the patients- _please don’t let them be dead, Founder YMIR don’t let them be dead, they were good people_ -or to shield his son from the sight. For better or worse, the doctor won out and he rushed in, stepping past the pool of blood and noting it was only partially dried. This had happened not long ago, within the hour.

Grisha turned over Tsuhine Ackerman and closed his eyes, then hers. No one would have survived those wounds for long, but she must have fought like a cornered demon. “It’s no good.” Shielding the majority of the wounds with his body, the doctor turned back to his son. “Eren, is there a girl nearby, did you see Mikasa?” His son was staring off into space, eyes wide and empty of visible emotion save a mindless, driving fury. Grisha mentally kicked himself, he should have left the boy outside. But it was rapidly looking like there were no good choices.

Whoever had attacked this cabin, they were good enough fighters to kill an Ackerman, which meant even a Titan Shifter like himself was in danger, if caught unawares. Grisha weighed the risks. If he saddled the horse and rode hard, he could reach the nearest garrison and summon every MP with a musket to comb the area and pray Mikasa was still alive. Grisha made an executive decision. “I’m going to ride down and bring back the Military Police for an investigation. You go down and wait at the base of the mountain. Understand Eren?” The boy didn’t respond. “Eren?”

_The Attack Titan was worried. It didn’t have any strong memories of this moment, which meant Mikasa Ackerman could very well die here, or vanish entirely. If so, without an Ackerman, the battles to come would become much harder for his Shifters to navigate, making Mother’s freedom more remote still. It thought back to its failures under Therebold Kruger, the Ackermans who had not made it to the boats, now an entire branch of the Paths could go dark._

_All of the Nine had great respect for the Ackermans, one of the few worthy things to come from the Beast’s and the Founder’s experiments with the Power of the Titans. After dozens of volunteers had their brains leak out of their ears or simply went violently mad, Two of the Nine did something the others had thought impossible. They created a second, artificial branch of the Paths. The Colossal and the Female Titans thought their siblings had played God, but the results were undeniable. Humans with the strength, speed, and reaction times of Titan Shifters, coupled with a permanent ancestral memory. However, there were caveats. Without a True Will to filter and hold back the endless tide of memories, the second generation of Ackermans quickly became lost in the memories of their predecessor’s lives. As a result, the Founder created an artificial Will to match them. It didn’t come from Mother, so the Ackerman’s Will did not have the same strength and could not enter the desert of the greater Paths. But it was undoubtedly a soldier and warrior born, forged of fierce loyalty, love, devotion, dedication, and an iron will. The Warhammer, Female, and the Armored Titans got along famously with it after an adjustment period. It took the Attack and Colossal Titans a little while longer, but soon they too warmed up to a new member of the Paths._

_The Ackerman Will was dubbed the Guardian, and with each generation of its human children who were born, fought, and died for Eldia, it grew stronger. Much like the Titan Shifters, the Founder gave the Guardian a trigger state. But while the Nine could only be called forth by blood and by desire, with Mother forming bodies for them, the Guardian’s Will was different yet again. It had physical bodies already within the world, its descendants, and once activated, the Ackerman’s gifts remained for the rest of its descendant’s natural lives. But activation required extreme, life-threatening peril, the will to fight, and took roughly five seconds to activate fully. In a fight, five seconds was an eternity. Once complete, any Ackerman, even a child, would gain the strength, speed, and mental fortitude of the Nine, along with the combat experience of their ancestors. They would never break under torture and could react appropriately in any situation, whether a dinnertime betrayal, an open battlefield, or a gunfight across Stohess rooftops. When new weapons were invented it took some time for the Guardian will to get used to them, but once a weapon was mastered, it was mastered forever._

Unfortunately for the innocents involved, Graft Ackerman had lived a relatively peaceful, if paranoid life, so for him, the Guardian remained dormant. Secondly, the moment he opened the door, the kidnapper stabbed him through the heart. If it had been anywhere less vital, even simply a lung, he could have survived long enough for the Guardian to awaken and butcher all three assailants. But these human traffickers were professionals, so the knife slid in between the second and third rib, neatly puncturing the beating muscle and killing Mr. Ackerman nearly instantly. Still, the electricity of the Paths raced from his brain down his nervous system, trying desperately to complete the transformation. He stumbled backwards into the doorframe and collapsed to the floor. The Guardian had bought him a mere three seconds and it cursed its failure. For a normal human, Tsuhine Ackerman put up a respectable fight, but Mikasa was frozen. Most Ackerman’s Fight/Flight/Freeze responses over the centuries had been the first two, but Mikasa had lived a quiet life on a farm. She didn’t know how to respond to violence, let along the sudden death of both her parents. She barely understood death. Then a knife handle struck her hard and she knew no more.

________________________________

The Guardian hovered over her prone form and followed the kidnappers out of the house, across the mountain, to an old dilapidated shack with peeling walls and a mold problem. _She feared they would harm Mikasa,_ but the men simply dumped her prone body on the floor, tied her hands, and waited for their contact from Wall Sina. _There was a shimmer in the air as two invisible beings stepped from the greater architecture of the Paths and leaned against the wall. Even the Nine could not see them, but the Guardian was something different, something the presences did not seem to account for. She could hear voices._

_Just watch, it will prove my point. No manipulation whatsoever._

_Given what I’ve heard, I doubt that._

_Hush, here he comes._

The Guardian stayed silent as soft footsteps moved beyond the door, searching the cupboards, shelves, any nook and cranny for weapons. The kidnappers were only mortals, so they heard nothing, but the Guardian was a warrior, a soldier, a spy, and more. The door creaked open and a small boy leaned into the room, a fearful look on his face. “Excuse me?”

One of the kidnappers stormed over, using anger to hide his surprise. “Hey brat, what’re you doing here?”

The child’s green eyes widened even more, tears brimming within them as the Guardian tilted her head. _The boy was an excellent actor for his age, which was clearly Young. She wasn’t very good at judging ages, but green eyes? Perhaps…_

The conversation continued as the kidnapper leaned down and patted the boy’s head. That put his throat well within stabbing distance of a knife, and the boy cut his throat in one swing.

“Thanks mister, I get it now. So die you bastard!”

The man fell to the side and the Guardian was almost impressed. The second kidnapper leapt to his feet, but the boy was already closing the door. Bottlenecking the man in an entryway. Even at a Young age, he had some tactical skill, because as soon as the axe-wielding man opened the door, he was skewered on a makeshift spear the boy had given a running start. Eeven with his small weight, the knife in the man’s guts drove him back into the room and the green-eyed boy gave his adversary no respite. The second knife rose and fell in an unceasing torrent of blood, making sure the larger, more dangerous man was truly dead as curses spewed from the boy’s lips. _The Guardian was impressed now. Was this perhaps, her cousin, the Attack Titan?_ The voices began to speak again.

_See, no Paths manipulation of any kind, just normal human violence._

_Forgive me if that fails to comfort me, brother. We both know of the endless cruelty of men. We’ve caused or incited much of it._

_Don’t lump my actions in with yours._

The Guardian listened intently as the boy climbed off the corpse and began to untie Mikasa. Now she had a name for the boy. Eren Jaeger, son of a doctor _._ Interesting. But Mikasa had come to her senses, for she murmured, “There was another man.”

 _Shit_ said the invisible watcher.

 _Shit_ said the Guardian.

“What the shit?” said the third kidnapper.

Eren Jaeger was a brave and mentally unstable little boy, so he dove for the knife, but the man’s foot caught him in the stomach and launched him across the room. Soon, he was being choked to death, but he had eyes only for Mikasa. “Fight! Fight!” he screamed. “If you lose, you die. If you win, you survive. If you don’t fight, you can’t win!”

Mikasa was on her feet and she had grabbed the knife in both shaking hands. _The Guardian dove back into Mikasa’s body, brimming with the energy of its Paths. She was nearly there, just a little push…The Guardian rifled through the girl’s memories, what few there were, to show her what death meant. It was almost insulting to 300 years of warrior heritage that the best they had to work with was a mantis devouring a moth and a dead duck. But she did not judge, if that was what allowed Mikasa Ackerman to live._

 _Yes,_ the girl thought. _This world is cruel._

Mikasa’s perception of time slowed as the Guardian went to work. First, stop the shaking, as a point of pride. Ackermans did not tremble with a weapon in hand. Not against armies, not against Titans, not against the Founder itself. Next, the brain, the most complicated part. So many subtle tweaks to neurons, adjusting firing speeds, boosting processing power, rerouting excess signals away from sympathetic emotional centers, minimizing guilt. Allowing for complete control of one’s physical form. The Guardian smiled. _You can do anything,_ she whispered and Mikasa almost heard her. _I can do anything._

Ten years later, when Eren Jaeger told her the cruel lie that a clan-slave personality had destroyed Mikasa Ackerman in that moment, the Guardian would be insulted and nearly as deeply wounded as Mikasa. _She was a YMIR-damned professional. Loss of an Ackerman’s individuality meant they could not contribute new techniques, new experiences, new perceptions to the genetic memory that meant every Ackerman became slightly stronger than the generation before it. Kenny Ackerman added a new knife guard technique and knowledge of 3DMG. Levi Ackerman added spinning, a good trick for 3DMG bladework. Mikasa Ackerman would add projectile avoidance 3DMG techniques and a vicious high knee she’d stolen from Annie Leonhardt which sent Flegel Reeves spinning three times before he hit the ground._ _The Ackermans were people, with loved ones and losses and victories alike. To imply otherwise implied the Guardian, the Founder, and the Beast had performed the greatest of all sins. It implied they’d been lazy._

The Guardian was not lazy, because she moved on to the rest of Mikasa’s body. Muscle tensile strength increased a thousandfold, drawing on energy from the Paths. Blood became more efficient, carrying more oxygen. Ligaments grew taught as pressure increased and bones toughened. Five seconds had elapsed. Eren Jaeger’s struggles ceased as he lost consciousness.

Mikasa’s mind was her own, but her body was now a hardened killing machine. The wooden handle of the knife cracked as her grip tightened, the plank under her foot snapped in two as she launched forward with a war cry. The steel knife buried itself in the man’s heart, passing through a small gap in the shoulder blade to carve a hole in the hard-working muscle. Like the best of the Ackerman’s work, it killed him instantly.

_The Guardian smiled like a proud mother as everyone involved collapsed to the floor. Mikasa’s brain was still sparkling like firecrackers as the remnants of the Paths energy tidied up the last few minor touches. Tweaking eyesight to 24/20, toggling smell so the metallic scent of blood and excrement wouldn’t overwhelm her ever again, reinforcing her eardrums against explosive force, and lastly, modifying stomach enzymes so Mikasa could theoretically survive on stale bread for weeks. Ackermans had survived similar diets, but none of them had enjoyed it. Proof, once again, the Guardian would sniff, that clan members retained their personalities. The only things she altered were minor tweaks so killing and survival would be a little easier._

_PTSD or “battle shock” was a work in progress though. Every Ackerman responded differently, so her response required situational judgement and a light touch. If hideous trauma altered normal human’s personalities drastically, how then did that square with the Guardian’s rule to minimize personality alterations while maintaining combat effectiveness? She’d spoken with the Beast on the subject several times, and each time, they had come away with different solutions for each of her patients. When she ran into one of the Nine, she would ask after her lab partner._

Mikasa moved Eren Jaeger away from the corner she had driven the corpse into and sat next to him as the rain poured down. Gradually, excess stimuli diminished, and the exhausted girl finally fell asleep. _The Guardian couldn’t quite tuck her in, but she pushed forward soothing memories and sensations. Soft blankets, warm hearths, familiar voices._ Mikasa’s eyes fluttered and she fell asleep against Eren until the Military Police arrived hours later.

As it happened, that meeting with the Nine occurred far sooner than the Guardian had expected. Two guards, armed with muskets arrived, along with a frantic Dr. Grisha Jaeger and the invisibly worried Attack Titan. As ethereal spirits they could not properly embrace, but both rushed together in a mutual chorus of surprise, gratitude, unanswered questions and unheeded explanations. While the humans and the Shifter were inside the cabin and terrifying themselves with dead bodies, the two Wills hovered on the roof and exchanged stories.

The Attack Titan spoke first. _Thank Mother you’re both alive, cousin. When we returned to the mountain and Eren was nowhere in sight, I feared the worst. My Shifter and I worry so much for the boy, sometimes I wonder how much of his feelings are influencing mine and not the other way around. I’m assuming their survival was thanks to you?_

_Mmm, not as much as you might think. You saw, the father died instantly. Even with all my skill, I was only able to give him three seconds. Those scum pierced his damned heart the moment he opened the door. No, Eren Jager killed two of them with knives, and my Ackerman the last. I thought he was one of yours, given the rage and green eyes._

The Titan laughed; a deep gravelly sound interspersed with the clacking of its lipless jaw _s. Perhaps_ , it said cagily _, if the Paths are kind. Lately, my sight has become diminished with the end of the Kruger line. I am no longer as certain as I once was._

The Guardian peered at him, a quirk of a smile playing across her lips _. Are you getting old, dear cousin? Should I seek out the Founder?_

Her cousin’s expression turned grave and it turned to look her in the eyes, green against steel-grey. _That is exactly why I am on this island, Guardian. The Founder has been missing for too long and the Nine are scattered, out of balance. How much do you know of what has transpired?_

The Guardian would’ve shrugged, if she had shoulders. _I’ve been following this branch of the family for some 40-odd years now after the Crown started persecuting them. Plenty of active Ackermans out there in the world, with their own Guardians, but these ones have mostly chosen to hide and run. A disgrace to our proud traditions, much of which have been lost. I think the girl, Mikasa, is the first active Ackerman in…two, perhaps three generations, so it’s been terribly dull. Still, I feel our Paths collecting more and more memories of combat, so at least someone’s Guardian is out there, fighting._

The Attack Titan was quiet, and they watched Grisha scold his son, anger born more of worry as well as a tinge of fear. He’d tried his best to give his son the right upbringing neither he nor Zeke had, but the boy, a mere child, had killed two men in a bloody fashion and didn’t seem to show a shred of remorse. As a doctor and as a parent, lack of empathy was a ringing bell of warning. Granted, those men were slavers, and were “animals in human clothes” as the furious Eren had insisted, but still…

_I’m sorry I couldn’t save the Ackermans in Markist. We were cut off by the mob, they thought they could fight their way out, and my Kruger Shifter and I were stupid enough to believe them. Any idea how many are left? I’ve been in hiding for so long, I miss the wider world. When none of us were hunted._

Mikasa’s Guardian traced the contours of the much smaller Paths of the Ackerman Clan, feeling for the sizzle that meant an active Guardian was watching over someone else. _Perhaps two dozen across the planet, and only seven are active. Is it foolish to wish for them to lead troubled lives, just so the Guardians can perform our functions?_

The Attack Titan wasn’t sure itself. _Normally I would say no, but these last twelve years of peace with Grisha Jaeger have been a pleasant rest. If my Mother-given function is to always move forward, my Shifter has chosen to settle down. He saves lives instead of ending them, mostly. How often in the centuries we’ve known each other, did any of the Nine ever get to truly rest? It was always dispatch after dispatch, one thing after another._

His cousin chuckled softly. _The Colossal and Cart certainly seemed to get their fair share. Besides, you went running across the continent plenty of your own volition, with only the vaguest explanations. Remember when all of us used to debate philosophy when Court was especially mundane?_

_Yes, if the natural state of humanity was disorder and war, or if peace was the norm. The ethical quandaries of justice and the cycles of hatred. If any Eldian Nobles truly had free will._

The Guardian looked up at the crescent moon above them all. Even the Nine could not touch that beauty for splendor. _We never did resolve that last one._

 _Cousin, look below._ The Attack Titan’s voice was soft, so the Guardian was quick to obey.

Eren Jaeger was wrapping his red scarf around Mikasa in a fairly ridiculous fashion, even throwing it over the top of the girl’s head. “Here, you can have this. It’s warm, right?”

Grisha’s expression softened and the Attack Titan slid down the building to drop a suggestion into Grisha’s mind, not that the Will needed to bother. The Jaegers were kind people. “Mikasa, why don’t you come stay with us? You’ve been through a lot, and you need plenty of rest.”

Sensing indecision, Eren reached out and began to tug at his foster sister’s sleeve. “Come on, let’s go back already. To _our_ home.”

The emphasis was hardly subtle, but Mikasa’s eyes welled up with tears anyway. The Guardian sent a fond look in Grisha’s direction where the Attack Titan doubtless received it. _I think your boy will be just fine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a less serious note, I had fun coming up with names for a possible female Eren. Griselde is German for "grey battle maiden". I also had Emine, a Turkish name for one who is courageous and bold, as well as Dorothea, German for God's gift.
> 
> Here I also get to make stuff up about the Ackerpaths, so I gave them a "Titan Will" as well. The Guardian gets to make all the little subtle changes that make the Ackermans into super-soldiers, and I cribbed just a smidge from the Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine enhancements. I mean, Levi is at point-blank for an RPG/Thunder Spear and not only survives, but still has his hearing. That close range concussive blast should have totally ruptured his eardrums. Also, the Nine need someone who's a bit of an outsider to their family drama so they can get told when they're all being stupid (which is frequently). 
> 
> Next Chapter (9) is The Church and The Fall from Grisha's perspective, (10) is the same from the Titan Trio + Ymir. Everyone finally meets up in Ch (11), which emphasizes how godsdamned long I took to get to the point. At least then there will be shipping and some more comedy rather than just grimness.
> 
> I'm also trying to minimize the direct conversations from the anime/manga because we already know how canon goes, but the additional perspective hopefully keeps things interesting. If following canon is too boring, let me know, and we can start taking hard left turns into Titan Shenanigans.


	9. The Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grisha encounters the Reiss family and Paths fuckery commences.

When the world ended for the first time, the Attack Titan was 310 kilometers away from Shiganshina’s outer wall, watching Dr. Jaeger deal with a case of scarlet fever Duke Abelard’s children had developed. It was 6:08 PM by the timepiece on the mantle and 5:57 PM by the doctor’s pocket watch. Neither of them felt anything, had any sudden premonition. The spectacled man smiled at the child and told him the boy had been very brave, but his fever should go down within a day or two. Duke Abelard warmly thanked Grisha as they walked back to the doctor’s cart, promising if he ever needed anything, Shiganshina’s best only needed to write. Dr. Jaeger promised he would, if the need arose, tucked a bag of gold into his waistcoat pocket, and doffed his hat in farewell.

The Reiss estate, and potentially, the Founding Titan, was two hours away, but it did not matter. Grisha stretched his arms above his head (he was carrying more tension in his back these days) and thought about his children. Mikasa was more taciturn, solemn and quiet than the bright girl he remembered, but the more time she spent with her friends, the more she smiled. He’d scoured the medical journals the Walls had provided him, but his knowledge of childhood trauma was more about experiencing it rather than healing it. Still, he’d been bouncing ideas off Carla two days earlier before bed and as long as he was here in the capital, the Royal Medical Society was worth a visit. Mikasa was a sweet girl behind that red scarf and deserved the best care he could provide, as a doctor and a father.

Of course, he admitted to himself, he was also putting off returning home, because he’d spent the entire ride to Sina deciding what he should tell Eren. Carla was going to be angry with him, but he’d known from the moment the words left Mikasa’s mouth, that his son wanted to leave the Walls. “Eren wants to join the Survey Corps”, of course he did. Even when he’d seen the casualties, the men who’d returned missing limbs, the defeated expressions, he still wanted to join. Grisha’s hand reached up and adjusted his cravat as he thought of Faye. She was an old wound now, the distance of years and the death of her murderer turning a gaping hole into a dull ache. He’d been the one who had led her past the walls of the internment camp, and though Sergeant-Major Gross had killed Faye, Grisha bore some responsibility even now. He would have to be measured in what he told Eren. For all his spirit, the boy was still a child, and the wrong word in the wrong company could have Military Police at their door. He’d heard rumors of what had happened to the Arlert boy’s parents, and soon, Grisha wouldn’t be there to protect his family.

It was a bitter truth, but his time was almost up. Even as a doctor, his self-diagnosis wasn’t an exact science, but less than a year to live meant the Attack Titan would have to pass to someone else. Perhaps Carla’s friend from the Corps, Keith Shadis. He had the fire in him, make no mistake, and maybe the Attack Titan would like that better than his spying and sneaking. As Grisha snapped the reins of his horse and began rolling back down toward the main road, he allowed himself to daydream. _A green-eyed giant, charging forward surrounded by cloaked figures flying through the air. Flawless coordination saw one Titan after another fall before them until they stood at the sea. The man who’d leaped down from the Titan was looking forward, towards the sea and from this position, Grisha couldn’t see his face, only short brown hair_. Ah well, it was only a daydream _._

The bump of the cart driving over a stone brought Grisha back to reality and he kept thinking about his basement. The story he would tell Eren. Perhaps Mikasa and Carla as well, come to think of it, they certainly deserved to know. Faye’s cautionary tale (suitably softened of course) and stories of the wonders of modern technology would show them both the marvels and dangers of the world beyond the Titans. He would start there and see how they handled it. Or perhaps a broad overview of the conflict between the Eldians and the Marleyans, no, maybe the myth of YMIR as a starting point?

Dr Jaeger folded his glasses into his breast pocket and began kneading his eyes. He wasn’t going to make the same mistakes, he’d let Eren and Mikasa choose their own destinies instead of forcing his upon them. Well, he’d make one restriction as a parent he was sure Carla would agree with. Namely, neither of his children would inherit the Attack Titan. Not this young, not with the pressure of his death hanging over them. No, he would tell them the truth, spend this last year tidying up as much as possible, then give Keith Shadis his Titan and point him in the direction of the Reiss family. His second life had been a good one, and Grisha Jaeger was going to end it on his terms, with some modicum of dignity.

As he reached the main gate, he noticed more activity than normal on a placid summer evening. Guards running up from the main road with rifles clutched close, a small cluster of travelers and even a Military Policeman clustered around the gates, and all appeared to be shouting.

Perhaps a small protest against labor conditions? Unlikely, because Duke Abelard had requested a higher grain tithe this year, but not beyond the pale. But that didn’t explain the energy in the crowd, the smell of sweat and, perhaps, of fear. In the Marleyan Internment Zones, fear was suffocating, and it was only by its relative absence that Grisha had realized how different the Walls were.

A house guard in an elaborate waistcoat began to run back up the road to the mansion, but Grisha leaned down from his cart and caught the man’s shoulder. “What’s going on out there?” he demanded, his voice stern and glare fierce. He’d been the leader of the Restorationists for a reason and he put some of that steel into his voice now. The man looked up fearfully and what he said pierced Grisha’s soul. “Wall Maria is under attack; some colossal Titan broke through the gates at Shiganshina!”

_He couldn’t believe it, no he didn’t want to believe it; believe that his peaceful existence, the plans he’d already begun to make were shattering around him like spun glass. Carla, Eren, Mikasa. His family, his friends. He felt the Attack Titan spring from a sleep into full wakefulness, almost painful in its suddenness as the presence was suddenly boiling from his eyes and mouth, so intense was its concentration._ He managed to force out a few questions, for both their sakes.

“Are you absolutely sure? How long ago? Walls above, man, is there any report?”

The guard quailed and stammered about how he didn’t know, but the speed of the rumor and the flight from the outer districts meant something was afoot. The scale of the fear could only mean Titans. Grisha released the man and snapped the reins sharply on his horse, sending the poor mare from a stop into what soon became a sprint towards the gates. Fortunately, a cart was large and noisy enough people saw him coming and got the hell out of the way. The Military Policeman thought about firing at him, but Grisha growled at the man in a rumble that carried more than a little of the Attack Titan’s basso profundo. The man dove aside with a yelp and Grisha was away.

If he was going to find out what the hell was going on, if this was true catastrophe or a minor crisis, he had two options. Ride for the True Ruler of the Walls, the literal Coordinate of all Eldians, or head straight home. Grisha’s first impulse was to ride for Shiganshina at top speed, even if it killed his horse. He could buy a new one. Speed was the only thing that mattered now. In a wild moment of abandon, he contemplated Shifting for greater speed and damn the consequences. That would only incite more panic and likely get him killed. He prayed the Garrison were at least mildly competent and that it was simply a small contingent of Titans that had snuck past the lowering gate. But the Attack Titan wasn’t fooled and deep down they both knew the truth. Marley had come for them at last. Suddenly the two-hour drive to the Reiss Estate looked like the only chance to save his family.

An hour and a half later, the sun had dipped below the horizon and Grisha had gone from worried, to frantic, to soul-suckingly terrified. Because he wasn’t worried about himself. He was worried for his family. From the scattered accounts zipping across the Walls at the speed of 3DMG and horse, Shiganshina had fallen. Wall Maria had fallen, and the Garrison around an entire quarter of the Outer Wall had been wiped out in a counterattack. A vast Colossal Titan and an impervious Armored Titan had shattered both the Inner and Outer gates, damning 250,000 people to a hideous choice across miles and miles of territory: believe the rumors and flee to Wall Rose, where district chokepoints were already seeing desertions, riots, and mobs? Or hunker down in their remote villages and pray the Titans didn’t find them?

Grisha wasn’t doing either of those things, and he prayed to YMIR his family had made it safely to Wall Rose. Carla and Mikasa were smart and even at ten, the girl’s Ackerman heritage had made her unbelievably strong. Between them, they could haul Eren onto a transport before he did something stupid like run at a Titan with a kitchen knife.

_The Attack Titan gave a half-hearted grin, because it knew its last host would absolutely do something like that, even if the boy lost that fight. But that was very black humor, because for the most part the Attack Titan was a maelstrom of emotions. Its brothers, and whatever mad, delusional Shifters held them now, had already killed hundreds of people and would soon kill thousands more. The Nine Titans, the Children of Ymir, were once again killing their own, and the Attack Titan’s rage was almost palatable on Grisha’s tongue._

_At the same time, it was sorrowful, because it knew both the Armored and Colossal, its brothers. Both had killed before, but neither was a brute killer like the Attack Titan or its sister the Warhammer. The Beast’s cruel disdain for life had some of the same flavor, and the green-eyed titan could almost smell its brother’s hand behind this. Somehow, some way._

_The Armored Titan, however, was first and foremost a protector. It was part of their Will, the very core of their being from the moment they had bonded with Mother, 2,000 years ago. To see such misery and suffering brought on against civilians, with its body and in the name of Marley, the Armored would be wounded at what its Shifter had wrought. The Colossal was almost worse off, because its Shifters, well aware of their power and destructive potential, had only rarely gone into battle and only in direst need. The massive star-gazing shifter hadn’t spent hundreds of years “expanding the Eldian Empire”, so the carnage would hit them hardest._

_Lastly, the Attack Titan was disgusted with itself for feeling satisfied, because its Shifter was throwing caution to the winds and charging at the Reiss Estate head-on. At last, it could find the Founder and put a stop to all this madness. One way or another._

Grisha had purchased a brace of pistols from a MP who relieved him of a quarter of his gold, but the doctor was preserving his Titan power for when it was needed. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to hurt anyone, and the pistols would only be an implicit threat for mortal guards. There was the (mostly true) excuse that he was worried about panicked mobs and deserted military forces on the way back to Shiganshina. Still, Grisha parked his cart and steaming, exhausted horse by the side of the road, a spot with plenty of grass and even a small stream some ways away while he went ahead, feeling the unfamiliar weight of the pistols underneath his coat, against the small of his back. The scalpel up his sleeve, however, was very familiar.

The doctor crept along the edge of the woods, out of sight of the main road and watched the low wall of the Estate and the iron fence above it. No torchlight indicated patrolling guards, but that just mean the more obvious signs were missing, leaving the many, many other ways to harm intruders. _The Attack Titan helpfully provided an image of enormous mastiff dogs,_ only for Grisha to simply clamber over the fence and drop to the ground with a muffled oath. The Curse of Ymir wasn’t making him any younger, but no dogs came barking out of the darkness to eat them. But there were lights within the church.

Grisha moved closer in a low crouch, hands out and ears straining for the slightest sound of movement, or the hammer of a firearm. He heard the low susurration of conversation and the Attack Titan focused on the words as well, sharpening them just a bit for its Shifter. A very subtle trick, but it had paid dividends since the Beast had taught it to Marshall Kruger in 322.

“So, what do you think they do down there, Ross?”

“It’s not our job to ask those questions, do you want Kenny to catch wind? He’d kill us on general principal!”

“Also ‘cause he’s nuts and hates us MPs.”

“My point being, don’t give him an excuse!”

“Yeah, yeah, but don’t you think it’s weird? Maria falls and the Queen’s family disappears under an itty-bitty church with just three guards? And Captain Kenny, the scariest motherfucking human in the Walls, is the one riding hell-bent for Maria right now? Of all the people the Queen might send on a rescue mission, he ‘ain’t got the face for it, or the temper.”

“Probably just sent scouting. Like you said, he’s such a hardass, the Titans would probably just spit him back out. If anyone could survive Titans, it’d be him.”

“Look, both of you just get back over there and cover the entrance. The Queen pays us for our discretion, not to scare each other about rumors that may or may not be happening.”

Boots moved towards Grisha and he shrank back around the corner as two men walked back outside to stand near the door, unfamiliar gear on their belts. It wasn’t the standard 3DMG he’d seen Hans and the Scouting Legion use, likely a custom job for an elite squad. His eyes narrowed

at the canisters strapped to their legs as he took in their armament. Shotguns, with a muzzle designed for high penetration and a tight spread. Questionably legal in the civilian market for hunting, these were organ-destroyers, meant for one purpose only: to end a target in one shot and to make it messy. No chance of edible meat or a pelt when those guns had done their job. Grisha had treated a Garrison officer who’d accidentally shot himself with one and he’d lost both the arm and most of the shoulder to the blast. Normal humans wouldn’t stand a chance.

But Grisha Jaeger wasn’t a normal human.

Ignoring the Attack Titan’s reminders that he possessed pistols and the element of surprise, the doctor decided to do the stupid thing. On this night of all nights, there was a chance he could get through without violating his Hippocratic Oath. (Technically plotting the overthrow of the Marleyan Government and eating Eren Kruger also counted against him, but there were mitigating circumstances.) _The Attack Titan wanted to bury its face in its hands, but it only barely had the first and not the second, so it was forced to remain a throbbing tempo in the back of Grisha’s mind, calling him stupid, stupid, stupid Shifter. It also pointedly ignored that it was being hypocritical considering the number of times it had tried hairbrained schemes of its own over the centuries._

Grisha vanished into the darkness, using the grass to muffle his footsteps, then straightened to his full height and held his hands out from his sides, showing no visible weapon. Displaying himself, he followed the small dirt path back to the church, calling out in a fearful tone every few feet. “Hello? Is anyone here? Queen Reiss called for a doctor! Hello?”

“Don’t move!” came a sharp voice from the outline of the church. Grisha knew they’d probably only seen his outline against the torches lighting the main road or perhaps the glint reflected off his glasses, so he kept moving forward, cautiously. He even put a little quaver into his voice, which, considering a third of their world was ending, was not unwarranted. _Mikasa, Carla, Eren, please be safe._ “Hello? I’m Doctor Grisha, Queen Reiss sent for me and told me to come here instead of the main house. Is there some sort of problem?”

He could hear the click a hammer being pulled back and stopped instantly. “I said don’t move! Ross, bring him into the light.”

A young man with heavy stubble moved towards Grisha, both firearms in his hands pointed at the doctor as Grisha unnecessarily raised his hands in surrender and tried to look as unthreatening as possible. Ross moved behind him, careful to never get into grappling distance and prodded Grisha’s shoulder blade with the barrel of his weapons. “Move towards the Church, slowly, keep your hands up.”

Grisha nodded and together they walked into the dim oval of light provided by two crackling torches. He really missed electric lights, sometimes. The other man, an exhausted man around Grisha’s age with salt-and-pepper hair gave him a skeptical gaze. “We didn’t get word you’d be coming,” he said. “Not from the Queen, her father or anyone else.”

“Technically speaking, the Queen herself didn’t send me,” said Grisha, doing his best to sound intimidated. “A tall fellow with gear like yours met me at the gate to Wall Sina and told me to get my ass to the Reiss Estate or it would be my head. He was very insistent about it and I dared not refuse someone with Royal Authority.”

The older man nodded absently. “What did this man look like?”

Grisha wracked his brain and the Attack Titan shoved a memory to the front of his mind. Ordinarily Grisha might not have thought of the man, he’d only passed him in the hall of Lady Emilia’s mansion, but the man’s contained menace now stood out like a beacon in his mind.

“Tall, thin, a short dark beard and a long overcoat to match,” said Grisha, before adding, “Bowler hat and a scowl, for what it’s worth.”

Ross’s voice came from over his shoulder. “That’s Kenny, for sure.” _The Attack Titan smiled in satisfaction._ The older man strode into the church, turning his back on Grisha and jerking a thumb at the entrance. “Fine, get in here. No clue why the Queen wouldn’t just tell us herself, but if Kenny wanted you here, he must have a reason. It’s sure not out of the milk of human kindness.”

Grisha walked in, keeping his hands at his sides. “He did seem rather harsh.” He cautiously drifted back towards the plain alter and the rug before it, which he knew concealed the trapdoor before the third man reached over and took ahold of his arm. “Hang on there, you’re going to wait with us here. If the Queen really needs you, she’ll send Rod or one of her brothers up to get you.”

Grisha uncertainly sat down in a wooden pew as the Attack Titan snarled inside him. _This was taking too long, and time was of the essence. Every passing moment could be the difference between his family escaping or ending in a Titan’s jaws and it took all his willpower to sit still. The Attack Titan was no better._ The four of them sat in an uneasy silence before the salt-and-pepper man started. “Wait, if you’re a doctor, where’re your bag?”

 _Shit_.

“I-I was told everything would be provided and that speed was the most important thing for the Queen.”

“Ross, did you search him?”

“Not yet.” The man moved up the small nave of the church and Grisha knew he had to make a decision. Lie or fight. Stealth or a struggle. When faced with the death of his family, twelve years of peace crumbled away like mist in the sun. The scalpel fell into his hand and as Ross came closer, he turned and slashed out. The man had been sloppy, unguarded, and the tool sliced cleanly through his throat in one movement as Grisha’s other hand fumbled for a pistol.

A thunderous BOOM sounded as a shotgun went off, deafening in the confined space, but Grisha had rolled to the side, away from the dying soldier and switched his grip on the scalpel. He wasn’t quite ambidextrous, but to be a doctor meant he had to be skilled with his off hand as well. Only the pistol was new. A second blast blew out a massive chunk of the wooden pew in a rough conical circle and sent splinters flying. He heard two light _ping_ s as the canisters hit the floor and a series of mechanical clicking sounds, so Grisha leaped up onto the pew. The third man was in a half crouch near the right corner, struggling to reload from his thigh canisters without exposing himself. Vulnerable. “Sorry,” said Grisha and meant it as he pulled the trigger on the pistol. The ball flew through the man’s torso and he crumpled to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

The salt-and-pepper man fired both his weapons at once but Grisha, operating on instinct, ignoring the Attack Titan’s centuries of combat-tested experience, threw his pistol in the man’s direction and leaped up. He tucked his legs close as his free hand grabbed the chandelier, causing the shotgun blasts to pass below him, ripping into his coat but causing no bodily harm. His sudden weight sent the chandelier spinning wildly around the small room, the candles within it sending shadows and hot wax everywhere as Grisha’s legs pinwheeled madly. _Alright, this was a bad idea, admitted the Attack Titan._ The doctor put his scalpel between his teeth and fumbled for his second pistol, ripping it free of his belt just as the last soldier finished reloading and aimed. Staring down the twin black holes of leaden oblivion, Grisha let go of the chandelier and fired his second pistol.

This time he missed, and the small leaden ball ricocheted around the stonework several times before it buried itself in a pew. YMIR must have been answering Grisha’s prayers because the second volley also missed him, though it turned the chandelier into a rain of metal shards and still-burning candles. Grisha’s back landed square on the edge of a pew before he tumbled to the unforgiving stone floor and he groaned in pain as his body protested the rough treatment.

The salt-and-pepper man angrily tossed aside his guns and drew a very long knife from his boot. “Fuck it. We’ll settle this the old way, like men.”

The doctor hobbled to his feet, leaning on the edge of a bench that had fallen over and spat his scalpel back into his hand. His blood was up, and the Attack Titan was ready. “Fine by me.”

He settled into a fighting stance that would have had even layabout Hans cackling with laughter while the Attack Titan wanted to die of embarrassment. _Its Shifter was going to be gutted like a fish on the floor of a stone chapel, barely three hundred feet from their target, and it would be flung back into the Paths with a 25/75 shot at arriving in someone in Paradis or some poor schmuck in the rest of the world. Mother was going to be so disappointed._

The two men shuffled towards each other, making small fake lunges to bait their opponents until they both stood an arm’s length apart just above the long red carpet that led to the trapdoor and the Founder. Salt-and-pepper spoke first. “Why the hell are you doing this? Hell, who sent you?”

Grisha’s eyes turned green for an instant, before they flickered back to brown. “ _We’re here to save our family_.” He moved his empty hand up and when his opponent’s eyes flicked to it, threw his scalpel. The doctor’s aim was true and the hardened steel drove through the soldier’s eye and into his brain, killing him instantly.

For several frozen, terrifying seconds, the man remained standing, his face locked into a rictus glare. Grisha backed away towards the trapdoor, but finally the body caught up with the brain and remembered it was dead. _The Attack Titan was actually impressed._

Grisha’s panting breaths felt very loud in the sudden silence as he walked over and pulled the scalpel from his opponent’s face with a slight grimace of regret. The man was an Eldian and likely just a soldier of humanity, but it had been self-defense. He wiped the blade on the man’s shirt until it was fastidiously clean and put it into his pocket. _A doctor always takes care of his tools,_ whispered his father from twenty years ago and from across the sea. _A doctor’s tools inspire both confidence and fear in your patients, so a doctor must always keep them clean and organized. Must never fumble with them unless in true haste. A doctor must use his tools to heal, never to harm._ He let out a breath and pushed his sweaty hair back. The trapdoor beckoned.

_______________________

In every iteration, every century, every new Fritz who held it, the Founder kept one thing constant. It always possessed a kind of grace it its ethereal movements none of the others could match, but none could put their finger exactly on why. Roughly 90% of the time it was imperious and held itself above their intermittent family squabbles, descending to their level only to sort things out when the arguments became too heated. Though it was both male and female, depending on the gender of the Shifter, many of the Nine began to subconsciously view the Founder as their more present parent. Since Mother had been quiet and uncommunicative in the Paths, that wasn’t going to change. Thus, nearly 2,000 years of human influence led the Nine to give the Founder the unspoken moniker of “Father”.

Even when it was silent and uncommunicative, drifting through the memories of the Paths, the rest of the Nine could still feel its presence, a massive existence entwined with the Paths and with themselves, always _there_. As Grisha cautiously descended a crystalline staircase into a cavern that appeared to be made out of ice or diamonds, his eyes widened while the Attack Titan’s narrowed. It could not feel the Founder, not the way it used to. There was something muffled about it, something blocking its brilliance from the eyes of its opposite number. It could easily be a trap, but even worse, what if it wasn’t? What if their sibling, for all their power had been in need of the rest of the Nine’s help, and they’d spent the past 106 years fighting each other or on the run?

The Attack Titan shook away these thoughts as Grisha cautiously moved through the vast crystalline pillars so similar to the Transference chambers below Jotenheim and Liberio. The doctor peered around one massive column to see a group of seven people, all in white, joining hands in a circle as they chanted something. Grisha leaned out just a little more and the Attack Titan sharpened his hearing, so the words came into focus. Grisha didn’t recognize the Ancient Eldian dialect, but his Titan did, and it snorted in disdain.

_They weren’t even praying to Mother like respectable Eldians. They were praying to the King in the Walls, substituting the name of a mortal Fritz for Mother’s own. Not just blasphemous, but painfully naïve, almost pathetic. Had even the rulers of the Walls forgotten their history entirely? If so, only the Tyburs remained, the last memory link to the history, the grandeur, and the failures alike of the Eldian Empire and its people._

Of course, Grisha could understand none of this, so when it became clear the chanting wasn’t going to stop anytime soon, he stepped out into the open and raised his hand in greeting. “Um, hello!” He felt a little silly, but kept moving towards the group, who had scattered to face him, the older members shoving the three young ones behind them, all clothed in white. A teenage girl, with long black hair and a face startlingly similar to Eren’s stood front and center, eyes surprised and curious, but not frightened. Grisha kept talking, letting out the brief speech he’d run through his head over and over on the two-hour drive to the Reiss Estate.

“I’m an Eldian who came from beyond the Walls! A Subject of YMIR just like you!”

 _The Attack Titan supplied an image of Titan jaws devouring Grice, years before_ as Grisha’s plea became more frantic with the reminder of why he was here. “King of the Walls, I beg of you, you must kill the Titans attacking the Wall at once, before-“ his voice broke, “before my wife and my children and the people of Maria are eaten!”

Frieda Reiss’s eyes widened in horror as the news truly set in, Grisha’s desperation imparting what dozens of separated messengers could not. This was a man who had seen the horror of the Mindless Titans and was begging her to save his family. How could she refuse him? As Queen, did she not have a duty to protect her people?

_No._

Frieda’s purple, blue and gold eyes, the eyes of the Founder, dulled to a pale grey of dishwater as her eyelids lowered to half-mast. The Attack Titan stiffened as three presences uncloaked themselves from its sight. One instant they were simply there, like peeling back a curtain to reveal a hidden stage, actors already in their places. Two of them were familiar, Eren Jager, clean-shaven and grim, and Zeke the Traitor, grey-haired and exhausted. Both stared in horror at the scene before them and especially the thing which engulfed Frieda Reiss in its transparent embrace.

It looked like a man, and spoke like a man, but it was fundamentally wrong and as it coalesced, the heavy, stifling pressure that had hidden the Founder from its sibling redoubled. Eren and Zeke both crumpled under the bow wave of invisible pressure that flung itself out, but they were beneath King Karl Fritz’s notice. Mere fleas seeking the power he had locked away, compared to the First King’s true opponent. An oiled patrician beard and sorrowful eyes looked up into the Attack Titan’s blazing green face as it roared in fury, the endless rage of its own presence pushing back against the King _. This parasite, this facsimile of life had used the Founder’s own power to chain it to his own will, and the Founder, in blissful ignorance, had given a guilt-maddened King the key to its own prison._

_What have you done with my sister, Fritz?_ demanded the green-eyed Titan as the humans below it looked up in astonishment. Zeke screamed something to Eren that “the Titans can speak?”, only to receive a disdainful nod in return and a muttered “I’ll tell you later”. The Titan ignored them, as did Fritz. _What right do you have to imprison the very Will which gave you the power to build these walls? Your little Paradise?_ It spat the island’s name as if the very idea was a joke.

 _I had every right,_ said the King calmly, folding his hands into ermine-cloaked sleeves. _The Power of the Titans had been abused for too long and the Eldian Empire, as well as you selfish golems, were all crumbling beneath your own weight and age. The Tyburs and I simply gave the Marleyans the opportunity to choose their own destiny, to see if another nation could rule any better than our feeble-blooded line._

The Attack Titan’s eyes almost bugged out of its head at the depth of that insult. The King implied that not just the Fritzes, but the entire Eldian race and the Nine Noble Families, all the back to Mother, were unworthy of the Power the Wills had bestowed upon them. It breathed out slowly, a vast cloud of ephemeral steam coiling down into a ghostly body and especially clenched fists, tendons visibly straining in its arms as muscles tightened. Below, Frieda was speaking, an echo of words King Fritz was saying to the Attack Titan. “We must not run from our sins. For the Subjects of Ymir, judgement day has come. When faced with enormous power, humans are far too weak, a truth I came to understand during the Great Titan War. I must seal away the power of the Titans from the hands of humanity.”

 _A war that you stoked and started, False King!_ growled the Titan, pointing an accusing finger as the King’s size ballooned to match the Titan’s own. Invisible giants, waiting for the call and the lightning to become physical. _But a war that would not exist if not for the fissures you allowed to exist. The realm was cracking already, and we put it out of its misery, the just fate that shall now befall the Eldian race!_

 _You sound just like the Warhammer,_ said the green-eyed Titan. _So tell me, when did you force the Nine to abandon reason for madness?_

The King was still, infuriatingly calm, which only served to whip the Attack Titan, and Eren Jaeger, to new heights of fury. Frieda was rambling about accepting the Eldian’s sins and perishing with dignity. Grisha, close to tears as this calm woman doomed his family, was pleading now. “But my wife, my son, my daughter, the people who live here know nothing of their ancestor’s crimes, your own power saw to that! Because you stole their memories! Is being eaten by Titans without knowing why, your idea of some kind of atonement?”

The Attack Titan gestured one massive hand downwards. _For all your arrogance, the human speaks the truth. You hide here in cowardice and accept the abuse that rains upon your people, that is not the action of a King or a philosopher._

Now Karl Fritz looked annoyed, for he stepped forward and jabbed a finger down at the crystalline floor. _I will not unleash the Titans, especially the Nine upon this world again, I will not take the lives of any other people. It is not our place._

_Not our place? There are children out there, right now, dying in pain and fear because you refuse to act._

_And they will continue dying until the Power of the Titans is gone from this world._ The King bent down, fingers reaching for Grisha’s diminutive form as he argued with the First King’s puppet. _No matter. I shall simply use the last Titan Power to wipe his mind and yours._ The King’s face looked up at the Attack Titan with disgust. _Always the most curious and troublesome of a troublesome lot. I should have destroyed you years ago at Liberio. But my empathy got the better of me and I let your Krugers and Beaumonts die to give these People of the Walls a few peaceful decades. I will correct that mistake now._

A massive hand swiped down and slapped away Karl Fritz’s own and the King looked up in shock, only to receive the Attack Titan’s right uppercut straight to the jaw. The King flew backwards, diminishing in size as his will flowed away thanks to the power of the blow. Frieda blinked and the blue-gold of the Founder’s eyes returned, as did her alarm. Deep inside her, as Karl Fritz struggled to his feet, the Founder stirred. _Brother?_ Its voice was slow, muddled with the weight of enforced slumber and of confusion. _Where are we? Is this Jotenheim?_

The Attack Titan wanted to weep, but instead channeled that sorrow into green fire which flickered into being around its fists. _We are below Paradis, sister. You have been imprisoned for quite some time._ The King ran forwards and shoved a hand into Frieda’s torso, up to his shoulder, teeth bared in a grimace of fear and loathing. _You stay silent, tool! You will not forestall our Judgement!_

The Founder’s voice suddenly rang out, clear and full of outrage. _You think to command me, little man? I am the Founding Titan; your family kneels to ME!_

A vast, glowing golden arm emerged from Frieda as the woman urged her family to flee Grisha’s inevitable wrath, but Karl Fritz clasped his hands together and howled an Eldian curse. _Bind this worm, so they do not eat at our foundations. Burn this disease, so the land may grow again. Beseech the rain to wipe away-_

The golden form of the Founder was retreating, vanishing back down into Frieda as her screams and curses against the First King grew fainter. The Attack Titan did the reasonable thing and rained down punches upon Karl Fritz, only to find a golden barrier stopping both fists and green fire. The ghostly form of the man smirked at them. _You will find that my Vow to Renounce War has several failsafes, usurper._ The gold of the barrier flowed into Fritz, enlarging him once again as chains wrapped his form and kingly robes became a penitent’s garb. _Some of the Founder’s power is mine now._

The invisible Titan assumed a fighting stance and glanced down. _Eren, Grisha, Idiot Prince, be ready!_

Zeke mouthed the words “Idiot Prince” in confusion but held his hands up as well. Of course, Grisha had heard none of this, but he’d drawn the scalpel out of his pocket. “I’ll do it, right here then,” he said, voice wavering. “I’ll devour the Founding Titan and wipe out the Royal bloodline once and for all.”

Karl Fritz charged for Grisha, golden hands outstretched. One phantom touch and the man would be a drooling vegetable, but the Attack Titan met him head on in a collision of green and gold that shook the desert of the Paths and caused a little girl to look up from the Titans she was building. _I won’t let you do it,_ snarled the Titan. _If you’re going to kill your own people, have the guts to do it yourself!_ It grinned into the King’s face, both visages twisted by hate. _I once asked the Founder if it truly was the Unassailable Will._ It wrenched backwards and Karl Fritz’s head dissolved into golden light. _Let’s find out._

Zeke’s bewildered looking form was looking back and forth, uncertain if he should aid in the very physical conflict unfolding as Grisha’s scalpel descended agonizingly slowly, or the metaphysical one, where green fire burned away at gold light, only to be repelled in turn. Karl Fritz’s head reformed in a gust of golden sand and the Attack Titan cursed in a language that had been dead for a hundred years. _Idiot Prince get over here and help me kill this shambling excuse for a King!_

Zeke’s hands were trembling almost as much as Grisha’s. “But…he’s right,” the blonde said in a weak voice. “The Eldians and the Power of the Titans cause nothing but trouble, just like Xavier said. We can just, stop Eldians from having children, and pass peacefully from this world.”

The Titan’s eyes were a waterfall of green light as it shoved away fingers that sought to tear out its throat. It could not heal here, not when their very Wills themselves were fighting. _If you want to argue ethics, get the Beast, the Colossal, and the Guardian and sit in the Paths until Mother kicks you out! If you want to make sure the flow of time doesn’t pop like a soap bubble, get over here and help me!_

Grisha’s first son looked uncertain and confused. “W-What?”

_Do you want Eren to be born, or not? You want all your little Warriors to not turn to dust in an instant or keep being miserable little shits like you? Annie, Reiner, Bertholdt? Marseille_ _? Pieck?_

Apparently, that did it, because Zeke rushed over and bit down on his hand. Except nothing happened. No lightning, no coldly smug Beast Titan. _We’re in the Paths, Idiot Prince! The Beast is somewhere else, along with my future self. You’ve got some of the Founder’s power yourself, so-_ The Attack Titan’s explanation cut off in a howl of pain as Karl Fritz jabbed a finger deep into its eye. Zeke looked down at his hands, which had begun to glow with golden light as well. He reached up towards Karl’s chain-wrapped leg which had trapped the Attack Titan and began to pull at it with a strength beyond his size. Slowly, the deadlock between the Wills began to shift.

Eren’s words from just days before hovered in Grisha’s mind. “If there is no one to continue from this point, the lives of everyone who died before would go to waste!” The Attack Titan growled in assent as Grisha’s first son and his Titan fought on. Generations of Krugers had hidden, fought, and died just to bring the Attack Titan to this moment, to begin to save both its sibling and its Mother. Was Grisha truly going to let that sacrifice go to waste? Tears welled up behind Grisha’s eyes as he stared at the ground. “I can’t do it. For me to kill children…I’m a doctor, for YMIR’s sake, I help people!”

Eren Jaeger stared down at his father with every ounce of the cold anger their Titan had abandoned in favor of blazing rage against the dead man who had imprisoned the Founder. “Stand up, Dad. Stand and fight.” He bent down to the doctor who had collapsed to his knees, almost whispering. “Have you forgotten why you came here? It’s payback, for Dinah, the Restorationists, your little sister who got eaten by dogs. We have to keep moving forward, to avenge them. Even if we die, even after we die.” Grisha said nothing, but his shoulders were shaking with some powerful emotion only Eren could decipher. The man looked up at the wrestling forms of kings and monsters and nodded just once, a resigned expression on his face. The Attack Titan would have frowned if it had the facial structure for it, but its eternal skeletal grin remained. Dirty pool it was, then.

The green-eyed, fiery Titan vanished as it abandoned one ethereal form in favor of Grisha’s own memories. Zeke wanted to groan in disappointment, but it was taking every ounce of his concentration and golden strength to keep the First King’s artificial Will pinned down. The creature would not harm his brother, or his Warriors.

Gently, as soft as a whisper, the Attack Titan sifted through them until it found the single moment that would hurt Grisha the most. _That first sight, in the early afternoon, of Public Security standing next to the mangled, sodden corpse of his sister. The feeling of Faye’s little hand in his as he led her past the shouting gate guards, beyond the walls and towards her death. Devoured by dogs, for the entertainment of laughing Marleyan children._

The scalpel pierced clean through Grisha’s hand moments before Frieda’s own blood hit the floor. As lightning flooded the trapped space and two of the Nine stood against one another, the battle of Wills intensified. A massive fist pummeled against the Founder’s flesh body, knocking it back and bringing its Will to alertness again. _What? I’m back!_ She sounded surprised, but Karl Fritz screamed in frustration.

_I won’t let you take them! I won’t let you unleash more war! For the sake of the world, I have to stop you all here!_

“You’re fighting against us right now, even though you renounced war,” pointed out Eren as he clambered across Fritz’s straining form. “Seems pretty hypocritical.”

 _All I do, I do to prevent still greater slaughter!_ protested Karl and redoubled his assault on Zeke’s own, slowly cracking golden barrier.

The Founder sounded frantic. _What slaughter? By YMIR what is happening? I can feel so many deaths!_

“Eren,” panted Zeke through gritted teeth and a bloody mouth, “please do not antagonize the mad construct of my great-great-grandfather.”

Eren finally reached the massive King’s shoulder, where he began crawling into the ear. Whatever he began to do inside the passage resulted in an endless stream of golden sand inwards as Fritz wailed in pain. Zeke spared a glance over, where Grisha and the Attack Titan had just ripped Frieda’s arm off.

 _Apologies sister_ said the Attack Titan with real regret. _Hopefully this will get rid of your glowing tumor over there._ They bit down and ripped the Founding Titan’s spine out, vertebrae and all. One hand caught Frieda’s falling body and shoved it down a bearded gullet. Even the royals tasted horrible, for all their perfume and scented baths. The rest of the Reiss family cried out in horror and began to run for the crystal pillars, but it was too late. The Attack Titan turned to them, green eyes ablaze with malice. _Now,_ it breathed. _To end the line that has smothered my sister for a hundred years._

As Frieda died, the glowing form of Karl Fritz locked eyes with Zeke even as his body began to dissolve on the same invisible wind. _You know I am right,_ he said as Eren fell out of the king’s dissolving head. _You know you will regret this, one day. When you see the destruction of the Titans…_

Grisha’s Attack Titan was clambering upwards, smashing through crystal and stone to demolish the church in pursuit of Rod Reiss, but it was no use. The man was long gone. For once, the Attack Titan could care less, because it was deep inside Grisha’s soul, green fire curling around a golden flame that was far, far weaker than it should be. The Founder wavered in a harsh wind and seemed in danger of going out, until its brother reached down and fed some of itself to strengthen the golden flame. _Brother, sister? Whichever, can you hear me? Are you free from that abomination now?_

The Founder raised its head, blonde and suddenly seeming very young for all its advanced age. _It’s so heavy…weighing me down._ Blue eyes met green and a soft chuckle turned into a wheezing cough that dimmed his flame further still, even as Grisha’s Titan poured more of itself into its sibling, keeping him awake and aware. The Attack Titan’s voice, normally full of anger, was softened now by concern and a hint of fear. _Father, how can I undo this binding? Tell me how to free you!_

A hand traced the Titan’s skeletal jaw in affection. _I’ve missed you, no matter how much we fought._

Dammit, an answer before we lose you forever! Founder!

_Find our siblings. Bring us home…_

The Founder drifted back into slumber and its brother howled in soundless despair, an echo of the Jaeger drama playing out far above, where a father stared at a son he’d never expected to see again. The “how” didn’t matter. The last twelve hours had thrown questions like “how” or “when” into irrelevancy.

“Zeke, is that you?” A sob forced itself from Grisha’s throat. “You’ve grown up so much. I’m sorry I was a terrible father. I made you suffer, always.”

Zeke’s mind was reeling, too many revelations in such a short span of time had left him vulnerable. Stripped naked of defenses for all the Paths to see. His father, the man he’d thought he despised with every fiber of his being, was apologizing with tears in his eyes. Grisha rose to is feet and seized Zeke in a bone-crushing hug, trying to impart a lifetime of sorrow, regret, and love into such a simple gesture. “Zeke, I love you. I wish we could’ve spent-“ Another sob. “More time together.”

Zeke felt water course down his cheeks, mixing with the blood from his nose and mouth, but neither of them cared. This was everything he’d ever wanted to hear his father say. ”Oh, Dad…”

Grisha held him close and whispered into his ear. His son smelled of cordite, dust, and battle, the hard short life a father had imposed on the son. But one regret towered above them all, and Grisha’s memories, past, present, and future, were screaming at him to release it to the one man who could still change things. “Please…You have to stop Eren.” He heard Zeke’s sharp intake of breath, then the Paths crackled with energy and his son was gone.

The doctor left his hands in the air for a moment, remembering the solid feeling of Zeke’s shoulders as they’d embraced. The damp tears on his shoulder. He lifted a hand and his fingers came away covered in blood and water. He’d been there. Through some power, perhaps even the Founder’s, but his sons had been there. They’d helped him, they’d worked together, but even then…The very last of Eren’s memories of the future, had been great and terrible in equal measure. He’d begged his son, the tall man with a face that was now more like his than Carla’s, but the memories would show nothing more. Not yet.

Grisha sagged to the grass, holding his head in his hands. He’d just wanted to live his life in peace, make up for the mistakes he’d made, and now it was all coming apart in a matter of days. Eren Kruger’s words drifted back to him. “Those actions will follow us until they’re repaid. Even if we die, even after we die.”

Even faced with the terrible desolation of his future memories, Eren had given him a gift. One son, bringing another to their father, for one last meeting. Grisha had repaid at least some of his mistakes. Perhaps Eren was also repaying his. Perhaps even his son was following the destiny of his successor in turn. On and on, into a future neither of them could see.

“How far…” Grisha asked the forest, “does this go?”

 _Until we are free,_ said the Attack Titan. _It gave Grisha the view it had seen, guiding him to the Walls, the unspoiled, natural beauty of Paradis in the moonlight. Calm, untroubled, utterly at peace_. _Its own sight, of the past and the future, was dimming as it approached the crucial time. It was barely more than its Shifter now. Blind, stumbling in the dark, grasping towards the light of hope in the distance that could just as easily be an oncoming train. But it remembered that sight from so long ago. Eren Jaeger, kneeling in the sand, hugging Mother as she cried and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. The cool light of the Paths bathed them both. Perhaps they could one day stand in the sun once more. Mother and the Nine, together again at last._

They both clung to that vision, Shifter and Titan alike as Grisha stumbled back to the gate and passed through the empty archway to his cart in a daze. _Carla, Mikasa, please be safe._

_______________________

Grisha stared at Keith Shadis in horror as the man kept speaking, barely holding together himself. He really was too late. “Carla…”

Keith nodded and gestured behind him. “Fortunately, your children have survived. It’s not much, but I’ve given their little group military rations, and a tent without any holes. If I show any more favoritism to a civilian family, it will become dangerous for all of us.” The bald instructor had always had deep bags under his eyes, but now they were positively abyssal and if Grisha wasn’t sure, he would have thought they were Shifter markings. The tanned man ran a hand down his face as Grisha took the opportunity to pull himself together, if just a little bit. “There’s talk of sending an army out to try and retake Wall Maria, Garrison and Survey Corps members are already rounding up men and women of fighting age, so you’d best be quick. Even if you’re a doctor, right now all they see is another mouth to feed.”

“Th-That’s insanity.”

Keith took a swig of something that smelled like rubbing alcohol, which it might have been. “It is. Look around Grisha,” he swept an arm to indicate the shabby, crowded, and tense refugee camp. “Everyone is afraid, from the fattest noble to the youngest orphan. You’re the only parent those two have left, you have to protect them. Get them as far away from here as you can.”

Grisha felt himself balance on the edge of a knife. He had the Titan serum he’d stolen from the Reiss family; his time was coming to an end. It had taken him a month just to find Keith and his children in all the chaos. He was running out of time and sanity. They were here at the edge of the camp, just outside a dense forest. Perfect for a safe transfer of the Attack Titan’s power. Keith had saved his children from starvation and homelessness; he had the fierce will the Attack Titan would need. Grisha would not burden his second son with a life of short, brutal war. Damn the memories, he wasn’t going to do it. Eren would live his own life, without his father’s mistakes following him like Zeke had. Would.

Grisha bowed his head, shoving his glasses up into his hair as he closed his eyes. It was all too much. Choice, time, destiny, freedom. All for children who were either already dead or soon would be. What kind of change could Eren make that Keith could not?

Hands slid into his hair on either side of his face, hard callouses brushing over his ears and grasping him firmly. The doctor didn’t think Keith Shadis was that kind of comforter, but what could the man possibly say that would change his mind?

It wasn’t Keith Shadis looking at him with an expression of deep exhaustion, understanding, and love. It was his son. Eren Jaeger. Long flowing hair, a stubble beard, and a smile so kind, all of Carla’s trust, hope, and basic goodness shone from a face that he had only seen twist in anger and determination. “It’s ok, Dad. You’re almost done, just like me. We can rest, Eldia will be safe. Here, my last gift to you.” Eren kissed his Father’s head, like a priest blessing a knight of old, and Grisha saw.

_A child. Eren’s child, Grisha somehow knew, though he could not say why. She slept peacefully on someone’s shoulder, a hand caressing her feather-down hair, as the screams and laughter of playing children echoed in from the doorway. Eren’s voice came to him, heavy with emotion. Loss, regret, happiness, love, and hope, all bound together just as they were in Grisha’s soul._

_“You are free.”_

Dr. Jaeger opened his eyes to meet Eren’s green ones. “All this suffering, will it be worth something in the end?”

“Yes. It will be our story. No gaps, no mysteries. The truth, over 2,000 years in the telling.” Eren offered him a hand and this time, Grisha took it. Eren blurred out of existence and resolved into the slightly surprised face of Shadis, whose arm Grisha still had in his grip. “I don’t know about worth, Grisha, but let’s go see your children.”

They walked through the camp, ducking through hanging laundry and moving aside for running children and plodding beggars alike. Grisha soaked it all in. _Eren was going to change this,_ he promised himself and the Attack Titan. _Eren is the one who will make this better. I have to believe that. Isn’t a father supposed to believe in his children?_ The Attack Titan listened but had nothing to say. Its own father-figure, who the Titan had loathed and loved in equal measure, was a sleeping, insensate imbecile, chained by the madness of a mortal king, and their own stolen power. The Vow to Renounce War, even now, dragged the Founder down to the depths of Grisha’s soul. It was a place where the Founder would never wake and despite nearly obliterating its own memories with effort, the Attack Titan could not bring their sibling back. Not alone. Ordinarily, in such a tumultuous time, it would be floating at the surface of its Shifter’s mind, offering memories, reassurances, soothing feelings, but not now. The green-eyed Titan was afraid. Afraid for its siblings, what they had done, and might yet be forced to do, afraid of the First King’s Will, which had bound the Founder and might still exist to bedevil the Nine, and above all, afraid of its own capacity for violence.

The Attack Titan normally had no compunction about the deaths at its hands one way or another. It had slaughtered armies in battle and choked out lovers with silk ribbons. Doubtless, some children had been among that number, by its Shifter’s hands if not its own massive fists. It knew there was always collateral damage. Any remaining Reiss within the walls was a threat, a potential way for feeble, ignorant humans to wrest the Founder and itself from their rightful place; a way that would allow the Eldians to be wiped from the Earth. A way that would deny Mother any chance at freedom, enslaved to countless more kings and queens only interested in their own power. Against such stakes, three children and a worried mother should have been a small price. But Grisha was a good man and an ethical doctor, so something within its Shifter told the Attack Titan it should be more bothered by its sacrifices.

__________________

Grisha rounded the corner and Mikasa was the first one to see him. He fell to his knees and opened his arms as the small girl threw herself into his chest, bawling as her hands roamed over every inch of his chest and face, assuring the twice-orphaned girl that Grisha was indeed real. He hugged his daughter with a strength he had not known he had possessed and Eren stuck his head out of the shabby tent to see what had happened. Unlike Mikasa, his brain took several seconds to process the sight of his father, but once the idea set in stone, he latched on to Grisha’s side like an equally strong limpet, babbling about _Mom_ and _Titans_ and _help_. Dr. Jaeger swooped his children into an enormous bear hug and buried his face in their hair, absorbing every detail of them he could before the end.

Neither of them had washed in several days and had been wearing the same clothes. Already, Eren’s ribs pressed against the thin flesh of his stomach as malnutrition had begun to set in. Mikasa remained whip-strong, of course, but the hiccupping sobs she made into his shoulder showed that her devastation and trauma had been ripped wide open once more, and whatever feeble progress he and Carla had made was now gone forever. Eren pushed back and began to shout about abandonment, and Mom and why weren’t you there? Grisha endured each one of the punches raining down upon him, even when they knocked his glasses askew, because he deserved it and much more. Instead he studied Eren’s face closely. Yes, he could see the rage, so much like the Attack Titan’s, pouring out and onto him, the hurt and the pain of what his son had been forced to witness. Buried deep, there was the desire to simply go to sleep and wake up to a peaceful morning in a world where the Walls had not fallen, where his mother would serve breakfast and his father would read the newspaper at the table with half an eye on his eggs. He loved his children so much it ached his very being and his eyes found they had a few more tears to shed.

The Attack Titan emerged out of Grisha, and the Guardian responded to the flicker of its Will. She cocked her head in curiosity. _Something is different, cousin. Not something about you, specifically, but you carry something within you, of great weight. What did Wall Sina divulge?_

The older Will sighed and pushed hair out of its eyes before its hand dissolved back into nothingness. _A great deal, and at the same time very little._

 _So, the usual state of affairs,_ joked his cousin, attempting to inject a little levity into the proceedings. They both spoke at the same time, _so, do you want the good news or the bad news first?_

The Guardian pulled back with astonishment and jerked her eyebrows meaningfully at the Attack Titan. _You first, and give me something good, please. The last month has been a diet of misery._

He sighed and though before speaking, which meant this was serious indeed. Her cousin used to have a habit of looking before leaping, back when she had been very young, and they were all still getting used to the idea of the Ackermans. The Titan looked into her eyes when he dropped the bombshell.

_We discovered and stole the Founding Titan._

_YOU WHAT???_

The Attack Titan shot the Guardian a warning look and she clammed up instantly. _The Fist Mad King of the Walls, Karl Fritz, has tricked your cousin. Used the Founder’s own power against it, creating a Vow to Renounce War while empowering himself as an artificial Will._

Her mouth dropped open and a chill of fear ran up her nonexistent spine. _That should be impossible! I was only created after YMIR knows how many failures, and it required both the Beast and Founder to stabilize the Ackerman Paths. You’re telling me this mortal made himself into something like me? Or you?_

Her cousin snorted out a cloud of steam, which both of them ignored as Grisha was filled in on the events of the last month and a half. _The Fritz was trying to destroy me, I couldn’t exactly hop over to the Paths to check, now could I?_

She almost didn’t voice the next question, aware of the Paths-shattering repercussions it could have. _So, what happened to the Founder?_

_Imprisoned, asleep, chained by this Vow, which somehow carried Fritz’s will into my host as well. The abomination was destroyed, or at least weakened enough it will not be a problem for now. Enough of me, what of my brothers? Rumor spoke of the Colossal and the Armored having gained entrance to the Walls, the Marleyan Shifters the damnable cause of all this._

Now it was the Guardian’s turn to sigh. _I was in a child, cousin. I couldn’t do anything. YMIR’s blood, we barely survived as it was. We’re barely surviving now! I hope you and your Shifter have a plan of some sort._

_We do. Did either of them see or sense you?_

The younger Will shook her head. _Doubtful. Neither was close enough to sense my presence, and once I realized this was an attack, I hid myself well. Perhaps the Colossal saw me from his perch atop Wall Maria, but I doubt even his stargazing eyes could have picked me out from the crowded streets._

Green eyes blazed with latent fire as they moved forward. _Are. You. Sure?_

_No, so I’m not willing to bet our Shifters on the matter. Rest assured, I’ll keep an eye out. Their hosts must be here somewhere._

The Attack Titan manifested a hand to knead its temples in an expression it had unconsciously copied from Grisha. _They could be absolutely anywhere, even in Sina by now. Presumably they are seeking the Founder as well._

Guardian let out a nervous chuckle that rang false even to her own ears. _Good thing we know where he is, then._

 _Good is not the word I would use, but we have been lucky indeed._ It paused, seemingly uncertain. _I don’t know what is going to happen, cousin. Will you stand with me?_

The Guardian gave both the Titan and the boy below her a warm smile, so much like Tsuhina Ackerman’s own. _How could I not? You’ve been my first friend in centuries, and the Jaeger boy saved Mikasa’s life twice over. I think she’s in love with him, even now._

The Attack Titan grunted, its habitual response to feelings of affection, but visibly thought better of it. _Thank you, Guardian. You would make the Founder proud._

The younger Will lit up like a firework. _You really think so?_

_I know so. We are occupying the same head, after all._

A blonde head cautiously leaned out from the tent and blue eyes locked onto his own as Grisha gave a small nod of recognition. Yes, this was the second time Armin had lost his family as well.

The doctor pulled back and smiled warmly at his children as the Attack Titan nudged at him. Yes, he had to do this now, or he never would.

Grisha pulled back and stood, towering above the children as a figure of authority, though one hand still extended down to their level. The box with the serum felt like a lead weight in his jacket. An invitation laced with a thirteen-year poison. “Eren, let’s go on a walk into the forest, there are some things I want to tell you.”

Despite his resolve, despite his almost fanatically blind hope that the horror he had seen would leave behind something good, Grisha Jaeger was still only human. Decades of stories, sightings, and fear left their mark. When his son’s Mindless Titan reached for him, he brought up his arms in a futile attempt to fend him off. When tombstone teeth dropped, he screamed, once, then was gone into the Paths.

The Attack Titan expanded to fill every corner of Eren’s small, steaming form, even as the bodies fell away and the boy stumbled out, looking around in terror for his father. Blood and torn clothes surrounded the space and the Titan could feel Keith Shadis approaching fast, despite Grisha’s warning. Eren picked up his father’s glasses, bent and discarded in the grass of the forest, and stared at them dumbly, the key to the basement wrapped around his little palm, blazing with heat _._ Perhaps it was residual sympathy from the boy’s father, the memory of the dead children in its hands, but the Attack Titan took pity on his last Shifter. _Hush child,_ it whispered. _You do not need these memories. Sleep now and rest. Our time will come._

All the while, the Founder slept on, untroubled by teeth, death, and the suffering of its people. A situation that perhaps would one day be corrected, to the doom of Marley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the point where I pick up the "Canon" of Ch 121 and punt it like a football or a particularly vulnerable Reiss baby. Too soon? Anyway, I was always slightly disappointed that the Vow to Renounce War was so passive, and I figured that King Karl Fritz would have a few safeguards in place, so Shitty King # 145 gets an artificial Will of his own, just to get "killed" in the same chapter. He'll show up again, but not for a very long time. Like, Season 2 finale, time. 
> 
> I spent like 1/4th of this writing time kicking myself for adding EVEN MORE characters with different motivations to the crystal caves scene. I'm clearly a masochist. Hopefully, it all still makes sense and can be followed. Again, I skipped over a certain amount of canon dialogue and kept the emotionally resonant bits. There's also some repetition because I'd write something, go reread the chapter, and realize Isayama just stated what I already wrote. But it's 8:52pm here and I've had a socially-distanced garden party, so you get this chapter. Damn my broken spacebar and "e" keys.
> 
> Also spent some time thinking and decided I probably won't redo the Fall of Shiganshina from the POV of those Titans, though I will include the scene with Ymir going all Ms. Pac-Man on Marcel soon. (Yes the Attack Titan misremembers his name, but he's a bit character so it's ok.) Mostly because that would just be a chapter of Titans going "oh nooooo" while the Titan Trio commit more war crimes. Wouldn't add much to their character development that a few shorter flashbacks wouldn't help with.  
> Finally, I'm absolutely guessing what that lasts AoT panel means, because it's either a memory of Grisha with boy Eren, or someone else with baby YMIR's reincarnation. Or something. I had to do something so Grisha would still want to give the Attack Titan to Eren, and in Ch 121, Eren himself says to Zeke that they didn't see how he convinced Grisha to give him the Power. So that's something that I suspect will likely come back in the manga. Ultimately, I felt like there needed to be a real light at the end of the tunnel for both Grisha and Eren, so they got it. It's a part of my deeply held belief that everyone needs something to pull them through the tough times. Tough times that a majority of my foolish countrymen are still going through, IRL, unfortunately. But, as Kenny so sagely said: "Everyone's drunk on something".  
> Like the Ch 132 leaks but I shan't spoil them here. Rumble on over to r/titanfolk for such things.


	10. The Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Titan Wills have an unexpected encounter, Mikasa starts a riot, and the Jaw Titan gets a little help from the future.

It took all of two months for the Attack Titan to enter a perpetual state of low-grade irritation. Part of this was entirely its own fault because the Titan had decided to hide the memories around the Titan Transference process. No child should have to endure the memory of devouring their own parent or sibling, especially Eren. However, Grisha’s instructions to his son, telling him to seek out the basement, the knowledge Eren even had a Titan power, were also lost. Valuable time was frittered away, but the Attack Titan only had itself to blame. Besides, the lingering flickers of its future sight told it there was no particular hurry. Not now. Mother had waited 1,987 years, she could afford to wait a few more.

Of course, the second reason for the Titan’s irritation was far more obvious. Namely, that the Attack was one of the two things even remotely resembling a responsible adult for Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. An adult who could only make vague suggestions to the subconscious of a hot-headed young boy with a hobby of ranting about the death of all Titans. Armin’s grandfather had been drafted into the “Counterattacking Force” which was really a method of population control, and with him died the last chance any of them had to truly be children. The Founder’s slumber was deep and the one time the Attack Titan and Mikasa’s Guardian tried to rouse him, Karl Fritz nearly woke up instead.

The two Wills had spent six hours straight wrestling with Karl Fritz’s golden form as he attempted to wipe the minds of every living being within a twelve-block radius and succeeded in wrestling him into oblivion by the skin of the Attack Titan’s tombstone-shaped teeth. On that note, Mikasa’s Guardian was quickly proving to be a Mother-sent miracle for the worrying Attack Titan. The younger Will was far more “human” and could suggest more complex thoughts to her Ackerman, most of which at this juncture were ones of simple necessity. How to haggle for the cheapest prices she could get, how to steal when she couldn’t haggle, and how to fight when the theft went wrong. Eren and Armin helped as much as they could and together the three children managed to survive living in the refugee camps as they waited for the day all three could join the military. However, three other refugees from Marley had similar designs and were nearly just as poor, even though all six were working on farms as much as possible. Anything to earn more food, to survive another day, and to achieve their goals.

Six months after the disappearance of Dr. Jaeger, it was growing cold and the ration lines were getting restless. Soon, the carts of mass-produced ration bars were guarded not just by Garrison soldiers with swords, but MPs with rifles. Lots of rifles. Eren was keeping watch while Armin explained to a skeptical Garrison soldier that they really did plan on enlisting next year and needed to at least keep their bodies from devouring themselves in starvation. Meanwhile, Mikasa was hiding as many ration bars as possible within the confines of her scarf, her shirt, her belt, anywhere she and her Guardian could think of. The Attack Titan was hovering above the heads of the crowd, ostensibly also acting as lookout, but mostly gloomy as it saw groups of pitiful ragged figures huddle together for warmth. The Eldians on Paradis were living ignorant of the “sins of their ancestors” but that didn’t mean they had avoided suffering. The poor fools just didn’t know why they suffered. As if that made their lot any better. A blonde head moved around the corner, but it was only one in a dozen, so the green-eyed Titan ignored it.

_Brother? Is that you?_

The Attack Titan turned in Mikasa’s direction. _Cousin did you say something?_

The Guardian’s voice was quiet but cautious. _I did not. Someone else is here._

 _Well, there’s only so many possibilities,_ snorted the Titan as it turned back to the street, only to meet the unmistakable exposed muscle and blue-eyed visage of the Female Titan. Both of them jerked backwards as if they’d been struck and below, both Eren Jaeger and Annie Leonhardt felt a frission of fear move up their spines.

 _Is that you, brother? I’m not dreaming?_ The Female Titan kept blinking hard while staring hungrily at her brother’s face as he swallowed hard and forced himself to respond. _You’re not dreaming sister dearest._ Despite its best efforts, the Attack Titan had been alone for a very long time, so questions spilled forth like a waterfall. _Are you alright? Are the others here? What news from Marley? By Mother, why are you even on Paradis? Did you escape from that cursed Warrior program?_

The Female Titan laughed bitterly. _Would that we escaped, so horrible is the task set before us brother. Get your shifter to follow mine, somehow. We have much to discuss, and our brothers have questions of their own, no doubt._

Her brother’s eyes softened as the bright green dimmed slightly into something less implicitly hostile. _Something about you has changed, sister. You seem…different. More worn. It’s been scarcely a hundred years, but I’ve missed you._ Sourceless dust solidified into a hand which reached out and caressed the Female Titan’s jawline as a thumb passed over her cheek in reassurance. She gave a small smile, with her lips and eyes alike, and gently bit on her brother’s thumb before he withdrew. _Only a hundred years? It feels like a thousand, by Mother. I wish-_

But whatever the Female Titan wished for was forgotten as Mikasa made a mistake. With her Guardian’s attention split between the invisible reunion above them and the continued theft of ration bars, normally steady fingers slipped. A ration bar the size and consistency of a brick dropped from Mikasa’s grasp and hit the wagon floor with a loud _thunk_ that had the Garrison officer turning around, one hand on his swords. With her arms full of rations, Mikasa couldn’t have looked more guilty if she tried. The Guardian erupted into a series of swears courtesy of Levi Ackerman as the girl leapt out of the wagon, sailing over the officer’s shoulder. As she tucked into a roll that saw three ration bars lost to the dirt, Armin shouted Eren’s name as the boys began to follow their adopted sister.

The Garrison soldier felt Eren move past him and grabbed for the boy, as the Attack Titan swiveled between its host and its sister. For once, torn between its duty and its desires. It had been so lonely for a hundred and six years…She winked at her brother, a silent permission to leave her behind. _We’re on the second floor of the house next to the clock tower. Blue door, ask for Leonhardt._

The Attack Titan looked down to see Eren drive his head backwards into the crouching Garrison officer, breaking the man’s nose and allowing him to scrabble free as the man collapsed to the ground. Unfortunately for everyone involved, one of the MPs saw this and jumped to conclusions. There’d been riots in the past, because these refugees had nothing to lose. He saw a Garrison member down, blood pouring from between clenched fingers and fired. The bullet sparked off the stone wall and missed Eren’s body by a good two feet. It went through the leg of the refugee next to him, and soon the crowd was in an uproar. More guns were going off as Eren, Armin and Mikasa shouldered their way into the alleys. Despite itself, the Attack Titan had to laugh as it was dragged away by its host. _Never a dull moment with us, huh sister?_

The Female Titan dived back into Annie Leonhardt, who was elbowing her way out of the theoretical riot swiftly turning into the real thing, her arms clutched around half a ration bar. _No indeed,_ she mused. _Never a dull moment when the Attack Titan was nearby._

_________________________________

The riot they’d started consumed the market square and most of the day, so by the time things had calmed down it was nearly nightfall. Mikasa had gotten away with about three-quarters of all the ration bars she’d hidden, and the Shiganshina Trio went to sleep with full bellies. Though Eren was supposed to be on watch, the Attack Titan just emphasized the boy’s exhaustion and soon he was asleep as well. The Wills could keep watch just fine and sleep wasn’t a requirement for their kind. During the Siege of Korvost, when the cannonade fire had been nearly constant, the Shifters and fellow soldiers had hunkered down behind earthen walls and slept soundly. When the enemy made another attempt at storming the outer walls, the Shifters, alerted by the Titans diving into their heads, could go from deep slumber to battle-ready in moments. Fortunately tonight, a heavy rain meant the children could sleep without worry, so few were the nighttime wanderers. Even the most avaricious thief preferred to be out of such weather.

(A hundred and five miles away, a tall freckled brunette stifled a sneeze as she pilfered a ruby necklace. The Jaw Titan was looking forward to their next meal.)

The Attack Titan drifted up to perch on the long roof that shielded the Siganshina Trio’s alley and watched the clouds. Flashes of normal, white-blue lightning flickered from within the clouds and blinding bolts earthed themselves in the impenetrable hardened stone of Wall Rose. The rain passed overhead as Mikasa’s Guardian joined him.

_So, that was the Female Titan then?_

_It was._

_Personally, I’d like to visit with her, meet another girl. You’re alright, but not much for company sometimes, with all your brooding and plans._

The Attack Titan rolled its eyes. _You make me sound like the Colossal. Who is also likely to be there tomorrow, along with my Armored brother and Mother knows who else._

She eyed her cousin, noting his furrowed brow and distant gaze. _We are going to meet them, right?_

His rumble of uncertainty matched the roll of the thunder above them. _Let me game this out and stop me if I lose you. The Female, Colossal, and Armored Titans are inside the Walls, one of which they already destroyed. Countless civilian and military casualties suggest the Marleyan government’s stance on Eldians has not changed._

The Guardian cleared her throat. _Were the Marleyans really that bad?_

The Attack Titan remembered Grisha Jaeger, naked and tied to a chair, getting beaten by six men with wooden clubs. _It was official government policy at every level and reinforced by the civilians themselves. No, the mainland has been toxic for some time._

The Guardian was silent as her cousin looked on with a mix of pity and contempt at her naiveté. She still didn’t understand. Not that she could, created during the 100-year exile on Paradis. Even following this line of the Ackerman family, she’d only known the Walls and the cruelty they offered, not the world entire. In that sense, she was very much like the children in their care below. When it was clear she had nothing further to say, the Attack Titan continued. _Three of the Nine Titans, possibly more, all on Paradis represent a considerable portion of Marley’s unconventional military strength. From this, we can surmise their status on the world stage remains secure. However, they have sent my siblings here to Paradis. They have not continued inwards to shatter Wall Rose and Sina, so pure destruction is not the main objective, nor is time an immediate concern. What does Paradis have that the vast nation of Marley cannot produce?_

 _Knowledge of your Nine Titans?_ suggested the Guardian. _You mentioned all those fires, and the loss of the ancestral memories. With the animus against Eldians, Paradis could be the only place left that feasibly has that knowledge. The Marleyans could be looking for further advantages_.

Her cousin was silent as it thought and now it was the Ackerman Guardian’s turn to look out at the rainy roofscape until he responded. _It is possible, but the Shifters would be disappointed. The Reiss fools I killed barely even understood Ancient Eldian prayer. What would they know of the Nine? They were surprised enough to see me._

_Natural resources, then? Paradis still has plenty of lumber and ores to be mined. Then there’s the ironwood and iceburst stone. Potent tools for weaponsmiths._

_If they wanted natural resources,_ said the Attack Titan. _They would have led an army to “liberate” the Walls and made us into slave labor. No, this is something else._

 _No military power would pass up the chance to acquire raw materials for its war machine, I’m sure it is at least a factor in their presence._ The Guardian sighed in exasperation. _You’re right to be suspicious, we could debate this all night, but we have too little information as it is. They’re still your siblings, right? Let’s get our hosts into the area and play it by ear. It’s not like they’d try and eat you, right?_

The green-eyed Titan hesitated, debating how much of its past would be worth revealing. Given that it had practically abandoned its family for several hundred years even prior to the Great Titan War, none of them came out of that history smelling like roses. _My family…did not part on the best of terms. If we get out of there tomorrow without anyone transforming, it will be because of Mother’s intervention, I have no doubt._

The Guardian’s voice was surprisingly bitter. _And when was the last time she ever cared about anything?_

The Attack Titan said nothing, but it was thinking of a moment in the future, one of the few still etched into its millennium-spanning mind. A little girl, sobbing out tears two thousand years in the making while a long-haired man hugged her from behind. A vast ribcage of bone, and an ocean of steam. _One day she will._

_And there you go being cryptic again, cousin. I’m going to sleep. Wake me when the rain stops, or when the sun rises, whichever comes first._

_____________________________

As it turned out, neither sunrise nor clear skies showed themselves the next day. The rain continued to pour down, albeit at a slightly less intensive pace. More than once, Mikasa and Eren had to chase off some other homeless refugees who thought they’d found the perfect place to shelter from the rain. Armin had argued to let at least some of them stay, especially the worn old woman and the two teenagers with her, but for once Mikasa and Eren were in complete agreement. Unknown elements could be dangerous, could force them out of their space. Allow no openings, show no vulnerability, not when they were in truth so dreadfully vulnerable. So off went the glaring teenagers and the sad old woman while Armin apologized to their retreating backs. Those glares also meant a higher-than-average chance there would be a fight for ownership of the alley within the next few nights when the teenagers took their inevitable revenge. The Attack Titan had suggested they prepare, and Eren had not only accepted the idea, he had run with it and soon their little alley was fortified by several stacks of boxes, some noisy trash cans out front, and their stash of ration bars hidden away in a tightly-tied sack wedged underneath a balcony only Mikasa’s instinctive gymnastics could access. The Trio waited two days, and on the third night, they had their fight when two familiar and gangly figures tripped across the trash cans and into a blind ambush.

Ordinarily, two relatively healthy teenagers would have trounced Eren, Mikasa, and a rock-throwing Armin. But Armin’s strategic mind and quick uptake had combined with the shrewd suggestions of two ancient battle-hardened wills to stack the deck in the children’s favor. In this, Mikasa’s Guardian had a better time getting her host to convey the idea of “defense in depth”, with multiple fallback points and plenty of glass bottles to throw. Eren usually mangled whatever suggestion the Attack Titan had beyond recognition, though he did reluctantly admit that an escape route was a good idea. So, they’d loosened a few boards in the back fence, just in case. Soon enough the teenagers had already been stabbed several times by a screaming Eren, who was kicked through one of the wooden boxes and lost a tooth to the older boy’s heel stomp. The teenage girl only took five rocks and two empty beer bottles from Armin and Mikasa before she fled from the second defense line, then the alleyway with tears, curses, and apologies, taking her brother with her. Both Wills breathed a sigh of relief alongside the children and set to work repairing their damaged hosts as the storm clouds finally broke. It wouldn’t do if they met other Titan Shifters all scuffed up and wounded. Besides, the kids deserved some small mercy in such a cruel world. If all they could do was encourage good dreams and heal, then that was what they would do. In the humid air just after a rainstorm, no one noticed the wisps of steam drifting from Eren. Small mercies.

The next day dawned bright and early as the two Wills practically chomped at the bit to venture out. They’d been waiting the better part of a week and they offered so many “suggestions” that both Eren and Mikasa commented to Armin how they somehow felt drawn to the Clock Tower, a popular begging spot, but one they normally avoided. Armin could pull off “adorable child refugee” with ease and made enough money to actually pay for non-stale bread and a pomegranate split three ways. Eren was a surprisingly good actor, but eventually broke character if he saw another one of the numerous beggar children getting abused by their elders. Mikasa had simply sworn never to be that weak again, so she and her Guardian loitered around a house that just happened to have a blue door.

The Ackerman Will that shared her host’s face and determination expanded up and out of her host, testing, and finding that walls and floors were no hinderance to a spirit. The Female Titan had told her cousin to ask for Leonhardt, so she drifted around, looking for blonde hair and the name. She found the first blonde, a stern-eyed boy with eyebrows creased in concentration, sitting on the second floor, playing chess with a much older man. Before the Guardian had a chance to examine the board, (she had a professional interest in games of strategy and proxy war) something massive and yellow-eyed exploded out of the small child and drove her clean out of the room and into the air above the street.

 _What is this?_ Demanded the Armored Titan, steaming like a furnace. _Who are you!_

 _I’m an Ackerman-_ was all she blurted out before the much older force wrapped itself around her, blocking her connection to Mikasa, who was still leaning against the wall, none the wiser.

She felt invisible heat rise around her and caught a glimpse of green fire as the Armored Titan broke off with a hiss of displeasure. His short blonde hair was smoking slightly as the people below looked up at the sun and muttered about how hot the day was.

 _This is not how I wanted us to meet again, brother,_ said the Attack Titan, hands grasping a ball of ethereal fire. _Now, apologize to the Guardian._

The Armored visage snorted like a bull but bowed his head at the Ackerman’s Will. _Cousin, then._ It turned back to the green-eyed Titan as its fire dissipated and hands dissolved into the same sourceless dust that had formed them. _You couldn’t do that before,_ he said with wary caution.

 _Neither could you,_ acknowledged the skull visage. _What wars have you been fighting on Marley’s behalf, then? Or are the Nine still going to tear themselves apart like squabbling babes? I have been away from the world for some time._ It tilted its head to one side and looked closer. _Or did our sister not tell you we were coming?_

 _I was expecting you alone,_ said the Titan defensively. _We had all thought the Ackerman Clan gone after the War. Apologies again, cousin. It is good to see you both._

The Guardian’s attitude relaxed slightly as the Armored Titan began to drift back into the house and his brother followed. _Come, I’d rather we not all repeat our grim fucking tales twice over._

She flickered back to Mikasa to make sure no one (Eren) was going to start any fights and went after her cousins.

The scene she found on the second floor was not at all what she expected. She’d expected tearful hugs, fond reunions, some acknowledgement at least. Instead the Female Titan was beaming at everyone while the massive red-skinned Colossal Titan, whose essence took up at least half of the tiny stairwell, kept throwing nervous glances at the Attack Titan. Her Armored cousin seemed equally as guarded as her green-eyed companion, but at least no one was openly attacking each other.

 _So, traitors, mind telling me why you killed a quarter of a million Eldians just for kicks, s_ aid the Attack Titan with a sarcastic manner. _Just want to get that out of the way right now. Is this Little Miss Empty Helmet’s plan or Tall, Twisted, and Furry? All goose-stepping to the tune of traitors and Tyburs?_

The Female Titan's forehead creased in irritation while the Colossal sighed. Or perhaps that was just steam. Regardless, his eyes did look down, unable to meet the green of his brother. Only the Armored Titan challenged him while the Guardian interposed herself in the desperate hope it would slow the possibility of violence. _That didn’t take long._

_You think I wanted to do any of this? Blood of the Nine, brother, you know how this works! We can only whisper, not direct. You think for an instant if we could have done anything different to spare these children and all our people these horrors, we would have tried?_

 _So what did you do then,_ snarled the green-eyed Titan. _Plague your Shifters with guilt and weep about “Oh poor us, it’s so awful that we put ourselves into this situation”. Was that how it went?_

_We lost Jaw to the Mindless,_ said the Colossal Titan and the argument was snuffed out in an instant. The Attack Titan’s face spoke of naked shock, even if its death’s head smile didn’t. None of them spoke as the idea sank in. The Guardian shoved her cousins back, spirits unresisting, and tried to meet the Colossal’s eye. _Did he die well?_ It was an old refrain, from before the Ackermans, but it was a question both warriors and soldiers knew well. Any faint comfort that could be grasped for, they would find it. But the Warrior’s Titans had none to offer.

 _He died saving the Shifter over there._ The Female Titan indicated the boy playing chess. No, winning at chess, despite the remnants of baby fat on his cheeks. _Reiner Braun, the boy who wanted to be a hero, just like his Titan._

 _Who’s yours?_ Asked the Guardian, doing her best to keep the conversation moving along as the Attack Titan opened and closed its mouth several times, at a loss for words. To be devoured in the field by a Mindless Titan, now lost in the wilderness, Jaw must have been so humiliated and alone.

__________________________________

Ymir was currently haggling with a jewelry fence halfway across Wall Rose while the Jaw Titan was, unusually, deep in thought. Her Shifter would have enough money and food that immediate survival wouldn’t be a problem, but the girl was determined to be independent. She’d staunchly ignored her Titan’s subtle pushes in the direction of Wall Sina, where the Founder and the Girl likely were, and was well on her way to the kind of hedonistic lifestyle Jaw couldn’t blame her for indulging in while they (Jaw really) searched for clues. After all, Jaw had seen Ymir’s memories. She’d heard what Mother had to say…

The accidental arrogance that the girl called herself Ymir was mollified by her subsequent punishment. Sixty years as one of the Mindless, only for Jaw and Marcel Galliard’s sacrifice to free her. They’d only wanted to make up with their Armored brother, while Marcel had just dropped the mother of all bombshell statements of Reiner Braun. That the boy didn’t deserve a Titan.

The group of children, (because the Marleyans could dress it up with Warrior epithets all they wanted, they were still children) had been in the middle of arguments when Ymir had burst from the ground and devoured Marcel. At the time, they had all, even the Jaw, assumed it was sheer coincidence. Just plain bad luck that had been happening more and more since the Nine had been severed from their Noble Houses and assigned to easily manipulated children. What happened next proved that theory had been staggeringly wrong.

As Mindless jaws broke Marcel in half and his lower torso flopped back onto the campsite, spinal fluid raced down its throat and it collapsed. Normally there would be a few minutes of disorientation as the Titan’s Will found the point on the Paths that housed the unlucky new Shifter, but something had changed. Jaw found itself within the desert of the Paths, staring directly at Mother. YMIR. It bowed its head immediately. _Greetings Mother. I hope you are well?_

The girl did not reply with words. Even though her severed tongue had regrown two thousand years before, some conditioning, some trauma, not even the Nine Titans could help their Mother overcome. She silently bade her Titan to rise and Jaw drifted back, watching the girl. Before, the dozens of times they had visited the Paths had seen Mother stand, walk, and move with a slowness none of them could quite place or describe. Movement that slowed with the weight of ages until something had caused her to change. Now, YMIR rested a filled bucket of water on her shoulder and dumped it into the sand with violent energy and no small amount of relish. Jaw caught a brief grin of bared teeth and shivered. That smile was familiar.

YMIR beckoned them forward with the crook of one finger as she began to shape the mud around her, heedless of the dirt and splatters on her dress when before she was scrupulously clean. At her silent urging, and a pointed finger at Jaw’s own Will, the Titan began to build itself, like they’d done together so very long ago. It hadn’t seen its new Shifter’s face, so the design was rather basic, with four thin limbs, jagged teeth, and a large head of dark brown hair. But YMIR had only sculpted a face. A grinning, skeletal face with long brown hair as well. Jaw stared but recovered quickly enough.

_So you’ve known where the Attack and Founding Titans have been this entire time?_

A nod, then YMIR gestured to her own chest, pointing at her heart. Jaw grinned. _Well, that’s very sweet of you Mother, but why call me here?_

A firm series of gestures and some initial confusion soon had the smallest of the Nine occupying its sand body, just so it could bury its head in its hands.

 _What’s so damn important about that green-eyed skull-face anyway? He was absent long before the Eldian Empire disintegrated, which, oh yeah, was partially my fault._ If the sand could have paled in shock, it would have. _Oh, YMIR, do you even know what’s been going on?_

The little girl put one hand on her hips and rolled her eyes while the other hand mimed a mouth. Blah blah blah. She tossed her hand up when finished, as if physically throwing the conversation over her shoulder. Jaw bowed its sandy head again. _So you saw how we all failed one another. I’m sorry we disappointed you Mother._

YMIR patted the Titan’s massive sandy head and walked two finger-legs towards the glowing branches of the Paths themselves. She set off, with the Titan in a slow amble, pelting her with questions all the while. _So why talk to me? Why only now? What changed that the last 2,000 years did not?_

A freckled girl, as naked as the day she was born, but with the deep lines of Titan Powers around her eyes lay in the sand ahead of them. Slowly, as if she’d forgotten what it was like to move her own limbs, she relaxed muscles that had been tensed in pain and terror for sixty years. She flopped onto her back and saw the starry sky above her, a scene of spectacular beauty. Each point of light a previous Shifter, hundreds and hundreds of them, all down the years. They seemed nearly limitless, so she raised herself up to follow the vista. The aurora of the Paths washed over her and the girl gasped in awe. This was real, she was finally free. Laughter trickled its way from her lungs, first soft and weak but soon becoming soft but heartfelt chuckles as she marveled over her rebirth. The cause stood some dozen meters behind her, smiling softly as she traced a name in the sand that Jaw recognized instantly. Her own name, in the language of ancient Eldia. **Ymir**.

The First Titan pointed back and forth between the laughing girl and herself and the Jaw’s vast mouth dropped open. _So you woke her up, counting on the fact she’d eat someone, just to bring her back, because she shares your name? That’s it_?

YMIR pointed back at the Attack Titan’s sculpted head, then pointed between Jaw and the laughing Ymir in the sand, who was now roving her hands over every inch of herself, delighted to feel her own body again. The simple sensation of true flesh, of grains of sand on her back, was a marvel. She could not hear her Titan’s voice.

_You want me to help my brother? With what?_

Jaw’s mother snapped her fingers and Ymir whirled on the spot, only to see a little girl wink at her before vanishing. Now Jaw and YMIR were at the very base of the Paths tree, almost blinding in its radiance. A familiar and sandy green-eyed figure was leaning against it as if the pillar of light was a simple resting place and not the font of all Eldian memory. Jaw opened its mouth to berate the much larger Titan, but its brother simply put a finger to its lips and pointed back down at Mother. The girl put one hand into the coruscating pillar of energy and one on Jaw’s forehead as the power of the First Founder allowed the Attack Titan’s sight to flow through its smaller brethren.

_Jaw saw its Shifter on a sun-drenched training ground, admonishing someone. It saw a short little blonde headbutt Ymir in the back to interject into the conversation. It saw them trudging through snow that came up to the short blonde’s waist_. _It saw them curled up in the same bed while other girls getting ready for bed pretended not to notice. It saw the girl, Historia, caress its Shifter’s face in the ruins of a tower. It saw all three of them, Mother, Historia, and the second Ymir, walking together through a grassy field. The three walking figures blurred and shifted together until the single woman walking there was both all of them and none of them_. Jaw blinked as Mother removed her hand and smiled. It couldn’t remember the last time Mother smiled. If ever.

Now that was motivation enough for Jaw, so it gave a cheery thumbs-up and a jagged-toothed grin. _You were never one for details, Mother. I’ll figure it out as I go, just like my idiot brother._

Green eyes glared in a mixture of fondness and exasperation and Mother waved him away, stirring up a small gust in the emptiness of the desert. The sand construct dissolved on the wind as Ymir woke up to an equally starry sky above Paradis Island. Only then did the Jaw Titan realize. _The girl has no idea how to summon me, does she?_ The Titan gnashed her teeth in frustration. This was going to be either a slow process of trial and error, or they’d both be flying by the seat of their pants for quite some time. Bounding, rather. The last time the Founder had tried to make a flying titan, it had not ended well at all.

It nudged a direction into Ymir’s mind, but the girl set about scavenging the campsite, humming a little tune as she did so. Clothes, a little rucksack, a coffee pot, a nice fire. Both Jaw and Ymir licked their lips. Those poor Titan Shifters had abandoned an entire link of sausages.

Inside the desert of the Paths, Eren Jaeger strolled up, hands in the pockets of his dark jacket. He smiled down at YMIR, who gave him an answering smile in return. “I think that went rather well, don’t you?”

The Mother of the Titans gave him a thumbs-up.

______________________

Back in the stairwell, the Attack Titan was running a spectral hand through the Female Titan’s hair, twisting it into miniature braids while Mikasa’s guardian bombarded the other two Titans with questions about the outside world, the Beast Titan, and the most recent scientific advancements. That the Armored Titan could only speak to the size of new ship-mounted guns didn’t stop the chatter in the slightest. Their sister’s lips twitched in amusement. _I think if the Founder saw you actually defusing, hells, refusing an argument with a Guardian’s help, they’d check to make sure the last King didn’t mess with your head._

Her brother looked slightly guilty, but he was behind her, so the Female Titan missed it. She had her eyes closed in bliss anyway. _Ahhh, I missed this brother. I missed you._

 _And I, you. But if you’ve come here for the Founder, I have some unfortunate news. News all of us should hear._ They both looked over at the Guardian, who was spinning in circles around the Colossal Titan’s spirit, moving through the walls with ease. Apparently, she was trying to mimic the orbit of some new planet the astronomers had discovered. The Female Titan was reluctant to break the relaxed mood that had developed, so she stalled with one more question. Anything to put off the reason why three of the Nine now had the blood of their own people on their hands. _Is she normally this excitable? I thought the Ackermans and their Wills were a serious sort?_

_Oh, normally she is, but I’ve been rather poor company and since your arrival, the situation has been rather stressful. The two of us are trying to keep three children alive long enough to get them into the military, which at least has three square meals and a roof over their heads. Tough to do when all we can do is whisper and suggest._

The Attack Titan sounded as tired as the Female Titan felt. _Hey, you got them here, didn’t you? Maybe we can help. Six idiot children make a better group than two sets of three._

_There you go mothering again._

_Considering all our Shifters have barely reached puberty, we’re all going to be suffering. Might as well suffer together._

“YES!”

All the invisible occupants of the stairwell jumped as Reiner cheered and the old man reluctantly handed over a small purse of silver and bronze coins. “Checkmate!” He ran off down the hallway to Bertholdt, who was deep into a trashy romance novel they’d found abandoned underneath the bed of their cramped room. The Titans drifted after them and the closeness of the hallway meant they clustered together. The Attack Titan ground its teeth; it knew it was stalling. The others didn’t know what had happened to the Founder and the moment they did, the green-eyed Titan and its Shifter might be fighting for their lives with no warning. Perhaps it didn’t have to tell them the whole truth. Just enough about its slumber…

_Siblings, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll be honest. The Founder is trapped._

The Colossal Titan looked over Bertholdt’s book. _Say again? I missed that._

 _The Founding Titan is trapped in slumber by the King of the Walls and I have no idea how to free them._ One by one, the other Titans turned to stare at the mop of brown hair in their midst. The Armored raised one plate where an eyebrow might’ve been. _If this is a joke, it’s not funny._

_Our wonderful King Karl Fritz, the absolute lunatic who worked with the Tyburs to turn simmering conflicts into a Mother-forsaken civil war, is still the King. He used the Founder’s power to create some kind of “Vow to Renounce War” that carries his name and face. He built an artificial Will all by himself and the Founder was so focused on the memories within the Paths, it handed over the keys to the Paths itself._

The Female Titan’s glare was a mirror of Annie at her most Leonhardt, fierce and dangerous. _Where is he? I’ll feed him a crystalline fist and rip him to shreds!_ But her brother’s quiet, contemplative voice followed as the Colossal asked the question that drove to the heart of the matter. _Is the Founder still alive? Can they think, even if they cannot act? Or is our sibling lost to us all now?_

Eren’s Titan allowed dust to gather into a hand as it ran long fingers through its hair. _It’s alive, if any of us are technically alive. Deep asleep, but when I fought the construct of Fritz, it woke up, if only briefly. The King managed to fight off my own assault and the Founder with golden chains, doubtless another of this “Vow’s” damnable abilities. Its rage at confinement, once it realized how long it had slept, matched my own._

His sister whistled in astonishment and the Armored Titan unleashed a blast of fire in agitation. _Where are they now? If we can get our Shifters to work together, all of us at once could easily break a fucking weak human Will._

 _Hey!_ Mikasa’s Guardian headbutted an armored forehead and lost. She floated away, regretting her mistake. _I’m still here and I’ve saved the Attack Titan’s glowing green butt more than once. The Ackermans are still here, we’re still fighting! Without us, Fritz already would’ve turned the population of this city into drooling imbeciles. He thinks the Eldian race deserves to perish. Keep that in mind, you arrogant lug._

A chuckle and another blast of fire came from the Armored Titan’s maw. _I yield little cousin. You really do have a warrior’s spirit. But I notice my brother has still refused to answer our question about the Founding Titan’s location._

All eyes turned to the Titan in their midst and the green-eyed Titan hesitated as it weighed the decision. After betrayal, slaughter, a hundred and six years on the run, all logic and Kruger sensibility told it to not trust its family. That hurt. But it had kept secrets from them before, for thousands of years, right? And for once, the Attack Titan wasn’t looking for a fight. It strained its powers, calling upon the dregs of its future sight, but there were no more Shifters beyond Eren. The future was maddeningly opaque, beyond what its memories of past encounters betrayed. Hands grasped at the sides of its head as the bellicose Titan gnashed its teeth once again. _I don’t know anymore! Is that what you wanted to hear? We’re so close, now. So close and I’m just as blind as any of you! The Founder’s gone, Mother’s still stuck in the Paths, and I don’t know if I can trust my family. Not your damned Shifters, for sure. How long before we become more acceptable casualties, just like Jaw?!_

It hadn’t meant to be so honest, but all the other Titans wore looks of shock, anger, and, in the Armored’s case, guilt. _I think,_ he said, weighing each word very carefully, _it would be best if you leave._

The brother they hadn’t seen in decades stalked through the wall without even a backward glance while the Guardian lingered awkwardly and bowed. _I realize that was uncalled for. Even though I am a newcomer to these circumstances, I must offer my apologies, but we all know how unpredictable your brother’s temper is._

The Armored Titan hesitated. _He has a right to be angry. More than a right, I suppose. I should not have pressured him so._

 _No,_ snapped the Guardian, _you shouldn’t. But we came here in the spirit of peace and curiosity, however tentative. If it were up to me, I would have the five of us pool our knowledge in search of answers. Perhaps the Beast Titan could assist us?_

 _The Beast,_ said the Colossal, _is no longer trustworthy when it comes to the Founder. He has some scheme of his own. No, I would not put Zeke Jaeger and his Titan within a hundred leagues of a sleeping Founder._

His cousin simply closed her eyes in disappointment. _Very well. If nothing else,_ she added, _it was at least pleasant to meet your Shifters. They seemed like interesting people._

_Perhaps next time we can meet your hosts as well. The Ackerman Clan always produced good soldiers and the Attack Titan had a taste for unusual hosts._

The Guardian let out a peal of genuine laughter as she drifted away and down, towards Mikasa. _Oh, you don’t know the half of it._

The Female Titan caught up with her just behind Mikasa, a strained expression on her face as she reached the limit of her distance from Annie, who was practicing kicks in the back lot. She leaned forward into the Guardian’s personal space and they touched foreheads, an act of surprising intimacy from someone who’d only just met her. _Be safe, Guardian. And take care of my brother. He has a tendency to put the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he forgets he’s not the only one who still cares about our people. If you, your Ackerman, or any of your children are in danger, get them to us. Our Shifters may fight for Marley, but that doesn’t mean either of us have to be enemies._

The Guardian blushed a deep crimson at the words “your children” but muttered a _thank you_ as Mikasa, Eren, and Armin gathered near the blue door to count their spoils.

_Thank you, cousin. See you later!_

The two groups drifted towards opposite ends of the plaza before the Shiganshina Trio passed beyond the Female Titan’s sight. _And I thought the Colossal was supposed to be the one who stared off into the distance,_ she mused to herself. Only a sharp tug on their invisible connection made the blonde turn back to Annie’s training yard as the sun lowered behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been AWOL for a few weeks, I've gotten two job offers and have been involved in that. Plus, a sprinkling of depression and getting sucked into Supergiant's Hades game. But I'm back, so no worries! 
> 
> I wanted to explore the "unspecified time" between when the Shiganshina Trio and the Warriors were bumming around before getting to the 104th, and this was the perfect opportunity. Of course, this still isn't the "full" reunion, but hopefully this is all juicy enough to keep people interested. The Jaw Titan does the most moving around in canon and is always in interesting places, doing interesting things, so I thought having the Future Attack Titan and YMIR give the Jaw a little bit of advice to make sure things happen the way they need to keeps relatively staid canon rather fresh. Of course, Jaw and Attack are two very different Titans, and so Jaw won't be playing their cards quite so close to the chest, which should keep things interesting. I also really like the idea that YMIR gave freckled Ymir a bit of a break because after Eren freed her, she then felt compelled to free another Ymir who deserves at least a little bit of happiness. 
> 
> Canonically this Paths shenanigans happens after Eren frees YMIR, but before Eren unleashes the Walls, certain interested parties spend some time running around in the Paths setting up dominoes for their own designs. The idea that Ymir also just stole a bunch of stuff from the Warriors and ran off cackling like a gremlin is also very amusing to me. Finally, I wanted to give the Nine a little bit more to do than just drift intangibly and have arguments, so the Attack Titan has gained the Founder's ability to form an actual body while the others figured out some tricks of their own. We'll learn how/why that is next chapter. Plus, I realized how touch-starved the pandemic has made me, and wanted to emphasize how intimate & important touching someone's face is.


	11. The 104th: Entrance Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ymir and Jaw search out Krista Lenz while the Shifters enter the 104th Cadet Corps. The Entrance Ceremony proves unexpectedly lively.

It was a dark and stormy evening in early January when Ymir and Jaw jumped out of the Church’s bell tower with six Garrison officers and two priests in hot pursuit. The Titan Will and the lanky freckled girl shared the same feral grin of excitement and the kind of dark joy that came from sticking it to those who well and truly deserved it. They’d launched themselves perfectly, decades of the Will’s experience with precision leaps propelling Ymir above the street in a picture-perfect arc, passing over the road and the stunned gazes of the backup Garrison soldiers below. The girl tucked in her legs and leaned her shoulder forward, grunting in mild pain as the tiles of the apartment below shattered under the unexpected weight. Several shards dug themselves into Ymir’s shoulder as blood vessels constricted and ligaments strained, ensuring that if she was mortal, she’d have a nasty bluish-purple bruise for weeks. Of course, with Jaw’s careful ministrations, the blotch would be gone by morning, and they’d be home free. Once they shook these soldiers, of course.

Ymir rolled to her feet and began to run as the telltale _tsss-shunk_ of 3DMG came from the belltower, followed by muffled shouting as the guards tried to convince the fleeing girl she couldn’t escape. The renegade Titan Shifter just kept running as she stuffed a silver necklace into her waistband and Jaw listened for the telltale noise of unsheathed swords. The duo reached the end of the first roof and leaped again, arms pinwheeling and catching the edge of the next roof, now slick with the rain. Ymir scrabbled, fingers, toes and knees searching for the tiniest catch in the smooth stone and hardened clay, the smallest amount of leverage to push her up and onward, but the rain that had masked them for hours now worked against them. She kept trying as inches slipped away beneath her grip, clawing her nails from their beds in bloody desperation. Brown eyes widened and Ymir had time for a breathless “Oh shi-“ before she lost her grip.

_Absolutely not._

The Garrison officer behind them shielded his eyes as lightning arced down and detonated with a spectacular burst of electrical force, flinging him backwards as stray charges crawled across the casing of his 3DMG.

The Jaw Titan huffed in relief as sharpened claws ground against the wall, carving handholds in the stone as she lept to the alley below, the Jaw’s fierce joy at her power already warring with Ymir’s desire to stay unknown and below the radar. They pressed themselves to the opposite wall, directly below where footsteps and hurried voices converged around their squad leader.

“Wall’s bones, did you see that?”

“Stay back Brehart, I can’t see a damned thing in this rain.”

“Did any of you see her?”

The man who’d called out to Ymir groaned as he peered over the edge and saw the shattered crater below as the Shifter shrank even deeper into what shadows the overhanging roof offered. “Didn’t need to Kelt, I saw the whole thing.”

Jaw knew what its claws could do to human flesh and tentatively pushed the idea forward toward its Shifter. Ymir’s mind hesitated for a long moment, then accepted it as the Jaw Titan held up one hand, glimmering with crystal talons in front of her beady eyes. She certainly could. It would keep her safe, it was the surest option. The only way to be absolutely sure…

“The girl’s gone, plain and simple. Look at all this, the crater in the street, the wall there, there’s no way that lightning left a body behind, much less that Priest’s jewels. Or do you want to go down there and pick up the pieces?”

Thunder rumbled above them and reinforced the soldier’s reluctance to investigate further. “Besides, with all our metal, you really want to stick around on the roof for the next bolt?”

Muttered reluctance and a few curses said they did not, but Jaw and Ymir didn’t even dare to breathe until the Garrison were gone for good. Ymir felt her Titan spine and the one inside her own body relax as the tension dissipated. She let out a breath and spoke into the steaming meat surrounding her. “That was way too close.”

Jaw silently agreed as Ymir’s beady Titan eyes examined her claws anew, eyes alight with interest as she kneaded the toughened earth of the alleyway. She could easily eject from her Titan body and walk the rest of the way back to her small apartment, fortified with three locks and a window for easy access, but the rain wasn’t letting up one bit, and the steam of the muscle around her was drying Ymir off reasonably fast. Honestly, it almost felt like one of the natural hot springs rumored to exist in the far north of Paradis. Jaw felt her Shifter’s resistance weakening and nodded in silent encouragement, something that only translated to a small twitching of its physical body. Ymir’s barriers fell and the eagerness that had been a part of Jaw’s existence since its earliest days flooded into her as powerful leg muscles launched the Titan shifter into the sky and across the rooftops once again. The rolling broadsides of thunder masked the shattering noise of the roof tiles, and Jaw kept them light enough on their feet to avoid ploughing through any more roofs. They moved across the Korvuld District twice as fast as a horse and Ymir partially ejected from her Titan just to feel the wind and rain on her face, reveling in the sensation of existence all over again. She’d rarely transformed since she’d first scaled Wall Maria and ran all the way to Rose, but moments like this…

Ymir closed her own eyes and laughed as fresh air, tinted with the ozone of lightning and the freshness of cold winter rain filled her lungs, caressed her exposed cheekbones, and reminded her how good it felt to be alive. She might’ve been connected to the Titan below her, but Ymir was simply relieved and happy to be alive once again. She didn’t think she could ever get tired of this, remembering how it felt to truly be free…

Below her, Jaw kept running, letting her Shifter enjoy the moment while the second Free Titan pondered what they’d learned. She’d pushed Ymir to steal from the Wall cultists, who really shouldn’t have been praying to a mass prison, because for everything Mother had shown the Jaw Titan, there was still so much they didn’t know. The Wall Cult was just the most obvious place to start.

Admittedly, when they’d first seen the Walls on the horizon, an unbroken wall of white almost-stone that filled their vision the closer they galloped, both Jaw and Ymir had been filled with a sense of awe. The Founder had immense power, but it had very rarely undertaken a construction project of such immense scale. To ignorant Eldians inside the Walls, it was perhaps natural to worship the only things that visibly kept the mass of humanity safe from their Mindless countrymen. So they’d stolen through the wooden pews and cluttered backrooms of the Church in search of answers and loot alike. They’d even, at Jaw’s cheeky impulsivity, downed half a bottle of communion wine grown in Wall Maria, which likely explained their impulsive decision to jump out the bell tower. Still, that conversation they’d overheard about the Reiss girl had brought both Ymir and her Will back to sobriety.

Ymir was a moderately successful thief and excellent back-alley brawler thanks to Jaw’s healing advantages, which allowed her to survive comfortably, but time was running out. She was now well known in both the local criminal rings and the Garrison, thanks to her tall frame and snarky attitude and sooner or later, Ymir’s apartment would receive some unwelcome visitors. The Garrison would finally have enough evidence to arrest her, especially after tonight if her “death” made them try to wrap up the case, or the gangs would try to strong-arm her into joining them. But Ymir had sworn to live only for herself, to not be tied down to anyone, no matter what, and Jaw, freed of the Marleyan’s chains, was in full agreement. They would leave, get out while the getting was good, probably by the end of the week. The noble-born, Krista Lenz, nee Reiss, was a good first stop. If the girl had enough pull, still, to make Garrison investigators leery of looking too hard, then Ymir could hide in plan sight. If not, then the girl would make an adequate scapegoat while Ymir and Jaw found somewhere else to live. That was what Ymir’s life of hard, selfish, living had taught her, and Jaw’s cynical experiences during the Titan War and in Marley confirmed it. Live only for yourself, love only yourself, that was the safest way.

But Jaw couldn’t be selfish anymore, not when Mother and the Attack Titan and all its siblings were relying on them. The Titan ground its teeth as they neared the apartment and Ymir regained control of Jaw’s body along with her senses. She clambered her way out of what was soon a steaming pile of bones and made her way inside the shabby apartment as Jaw’s ethereal form followed, deep in thought. If Krista Lenz really was a descendant of the royal family, or even just an illegitimate noble, she would be a good place to start looking for the short blonde Mother had shown Jaw. One step on the road towards freeing Mother and putting their family back together.

 _Was this what is was like for the Attack Titan, all these centuries?_ wondered Jaw. It sounded exhausting.

Ymir entered her room, flicked three heavy locks on her door, and flung her clothes in all directions as she flopped into bed with a sigh of deep contentment. She drifted off to sleep in a matter of minutes while her Titan stayed up, thinking of the future and watching the stars peek out from the cloud cover. They left the next morning, after a quick visit to her fence, bound for the recruitment post advertising the 104th Cadet Corps and the joys of military service. At least Ymir could have three meals a day without stealing from anyone else. And if the worst happened, they could always run again.

The recruiting station was surprisingly crowded to Jaw’s mind, dozens of youngsters clamoring to reach the desk sergeant, an exhausted-looking man missing his arm at the shoulder and a concave sag to his body that suggested more missing flesh underneath the brown overcoat of his uniform. If the brass had designated him a recruiter for scaring away the easily squeamish, or just to provide a warning to possible candidates, it wasn’t working on the crowd. His eyes were dull, and he tuned out most of the noise with the ease of long practice as he addressed the small pigtailed girl in front of him. “So, Mina Carolina, you’re quite sure about your decision to join the 104th Cadet Corps, knowing it poses a significant risk to life, limb, and marital prospects?”

The girl’s mouth was set in a frown of determination at odds with her kind, open face. “Yes, sir. Even the provisional pay the 104th offers will help out my siblings, I couldn’t fairly choose anything else.”

“Alright. Sign here. If’n you can’t write, just make an X.” He jerked his head at the large “X” symbol on the parchment next to her, but Mina signed her name with a flourish and a little smile. “My parents were scriveners, sir, I can write perfectly well-“

“Don’t care, NEXT!”

Jaw’s eyes scanned the line of waiting Eldians and narrowed as a large man guided a small blonde to the desk, his hand firmly on the girl’s shoulder. There were a few parents here to support their children, as well as a few Garrison officers escorting truants similar to Ymir who had the misfortune to be caught, but this burly fellow showed neither fondness for the child in his care or exasperation at disobedience. Instead, he looked stern and uncompromising, more a bodyguard than a confidante. Or a jailer. Jaw followed Ymir’s gaze and saw she was admiring the physique of a baker’s daughter who was developing earlier than the other girls. Specifically, in a bustier direction, which her blouse barely hid. Several of the boys had the same drooling look, but Jaw rolled its eyes and bit Ymir’s train of thought in half. _Teenage Shifters are always the same, honestly._

The tall brown-skinned girl blinked, and her eyes focused back in on the officer ahead of them.

“And you are?” said the recruiter in the same bored voice, quill poised.

“K-Krista Lenz, sir.”

“Christa with a C?”

The large man spoke up. “With a K.”

The recruiter gave the goon a measuring look and he appeared to truly look at the small girl for the first time. “And you’re here to join the 104th Cadet Corps? Just by lookin’ at you, seems like you’d fail the first physical straight away. Why do you want to join the 104th, Lenz?”

Ymir and the recruiter both caught the brief look the girl shot the man behind her, not that it mattered, because she was shaking like a leaf as she attempted the military salute, one hand over her heart. “I wish to give my life in the service of humanity and die a hero, sir!”

What had likely been meant as a brave speech came out squeaking like a mouse and there was a smattering of laughter at Krista’s expense. Ymir and Jaw both raised an eyebrow in unison as the girl clenched her fist and repeated the declaration, this time with a hint of desperation. “I wish to give my life and die a hero, sir!”

The recruiter shrugged, falling back into his disinterest, feigned or not, and offered her the quill. “So, Krista Lenz, you’re quite sure about your decision to join the 104th Cadet Corps, knowing it poses a significant risk to life, limb, and marital prospects?”

The hand tightened on her shoulder, but Krista answered without hesitation. “Yes, I do!”

“Alright. Sign here. If’n you can’t write, just make an X.”

Krista signed her name and the parchment was whisked away as the big man steered her to a corner furthest from the door. Jaw was about to urge Ymir to follow, but the girl was already gliding through the crowd in pursuit, eyes set in a glare fit to rival the Female Titan’s cold anger. The man knelt and put both hands on Krista’s shoulders, speaking softly enough to mask his voice in the general din, but Ymir got within range for her to catch the tail end of the little speech. “-and live a quiet life out of the way. But not a word to anyone, understand? Or he won’t be as lenient again.” The blonde nodded, face solemn, as the man rose to his feet and turned towards the door, only to find Ymir in his way.

“Excuse me, sir,” said the girl, voice bright with feigned cheer. “I just wanted to be the first to welcome your daughter to the 104th Cadet Corps.” Jaw read the direction of her thoughts and added its own weight to its Shifter’s words. “ _We wanted to let you know that the girls here are well taken care of. If we stick together, nothing bad’s going to happen to her.”_

“Thanks for that, I guess.” He cast a smile back at Krista Lenz that none of them believed, though Krista did her best to cover for him, chattering at them both about how proud she was to serve and how she was sure to meet good people here. Throughout it all, Ymir’s brown eyes never left the man’s face, searching out the ticks, the subtle tells as she let him sweat out the social interaction. Finally she stood aside, so the man made his way out the door, casting a backwards glance at both Ymir and Krista and the door closed behind him. Krista’s cheer melted away like butter on a hot pan as her hands came together in front of her in an anxious gesture.

“Thank you very much for the welcome, miss, but you really didn’t need to do that. I’m perfectly fine, great even! I-I can’t wait to start training!” At least this time, she really did seem to believe it, but Ymir greeted that statement with the skepticism it deserved.

“Sure thing Lenz. Look, if you don’t want to be here, just say the word, I can get you out of here.”

Krista’s eyes flicked between the door and the bored-looking Garrison officers. “Oh, I couldn’t do that! Wouldn’t you get in trouble, why it could ruin your military career?”

Ymir shrugged as inside her; Jaw chuckled. “Nah, I haven’t even signed up yet. I was just bluffing that big jerkwad. But seriously, you don’t have to do what other people tell you, you can make your own choices. Especially if you’re signing up to be a soldier.”

Krista shook her head, a tinge of steely blue determination entering her eyes for the first time. “No thank you, miss. I really do think this is where I can do the most good. Thank you for helping though, it’s very kind. I’m Krista Lenz, what’s your name?”

The freckled girl smiled, sharing a private joke with the Shifter Will she didn’t know could hear her. “I’m Ymir, it’s nice to meet you, Krista Lenz.”

They shook hands and Jaw drifted out of her host to examine the girl Mother had sent them to find. Blonde hair, blue eyes, hiding her strength deep inside a desire to please others. _Very funny, Mother. Just where did you pick up a sense of humor, I wonder?_

Krista smiled as well as she guided the Shifter back to the recruitment line and Ymir felt her heart plunge before swooping up to lodge itself in her throat. _Well_ , she assured herself, _if I have to hang around this noble for a few years, at least she’s cute_.

The carriage ride to the 104th training camp wasn’t nearly as boring as Ymir expected it to be. The soldier driving the cart idly asked how many trainees knew how to read and write, adding that if they weren’t up to snuff, they’d have an uphill battle ahead of them. Ymir was glad the conman/preacher who’d raised her in the Cult of Ymir had taught “Ymir-sama” how to do both, if only so she could read off the “scripture” he’d put together. However, while Krista couldn’t remember where she’d learned the skill, she resolved to teach the other trainees as much as she could before they arrived. Though Ymir was looking forward to watching the debacle, she found that Krista also possessed a talent for hooking people into her acts of altruism, something Ymir had sworn off at the beginning of her next life. So she found herself in front of a small cluster of cadets explaining the Eldian glyph-alphabet with a sheet of crumpled paper and significantly more swear-words compared to Krista’s group. Still, the smile beamed her way by the sentient sun goddess at the other end of the cart had Ymir’s resolution to never stick her neck out look a lot wobblier. Just like the Shifter’s own shaky smile in return.

By the time they arrived at the training grounds, the paper had been covered in letters, the trainees were exhausted from the learning as well as the travel, and everyone just wanted to sleep. Even Jaw was looking forward to a nap. They absently followed the group in front of them into the mess hall, Jaw taking over more of Ymir’s higher functions to inhale a plate of biscuits and watery gruel as Krista fell asleep on the table. Jaw proved, once again, that Titan table manners were something of an oxymoron, ignoring the spoon entirely, but neither girl stirred. Soon enough the girls retired to a packed bunk room and the bidding began for the “best” bunk spots. Jaw tossed a semi-conscious Krista onto the lower bunk furthest from the door and leaped upwards towards the top bunk. She always did like to perch on high surfaces, a long-standing trait when trying to hold a conversation with her larger siblings.

Ymir’s head smashed into the roof’s support beam with an audible _crunch_ and Jaw winced in apology as the Shifter’s teeth rattled in her head, jolting he back to full consciousness.

“What the fuck was that?” roared Ymir, any trace of altruism gone from her eyes. She grabbed the front of the nearest trainee’s shirt and hauled them into close range, eyes boring into the frightened human’s. “Sermavita, was that you? What is your damage, girl?”

Soon enough everyone in the bunkhouse was bickering and even Historia roused herself long enough to settle everyone down, her natural charisma shining through once again. Jaw decided the little royal had the situation well in hand and drifted up to perch invisibly on the roof, eying the other bunkhouses and the figures filing into them, weary with exhaustion. _She was very close now, along with her Shifter, to one of the moments Mother had shown her in the Paths. But where was-_

_Ah_.

Two other spirits floated at the very edge of Jaw’s vision, all the way across the training ground. One with shaggy brown hair and a promise of vengeance, and the black-haired other with the weary experience of a soldier. Jaw thought about calling out, but the rising moon made her think better of it. Three years of training, after all. They had plenty of time to catch up tomorrow at the entrance ceremony.

The next morning, with Ymir still nursing the sore spot on her head, the 104th Cadet Corps assembled in full for the first time, a full class of three hundred pieces of “livestock” according to the bellowing instructor, Keith Shadis. Jaw lurked within Ymir, waiting for the perfect opportunity as it spied on its siblings idly chatting as they drifted across the crowd. The Attack and Armored Titans were making awkward small talk while the black haired, grey-eyed Will between them kept the peace.

_No shit?_

The Attack Titan answered in a voice that rumbled with mixed amusement and regret. _No shit. My last Shifter was going to give me to that Shadis fellow, thought he had the right fighting spirit to host me._

_Well, he’s certainly got the lungs for your famous roar, even without a Titan body. And what’s with those freaking eyes? If I didn’t know better, I’d say he just Shifted myself._

The smaller Will broke in. _The eyes are a little weird, I grant you cousin, but he’s 100% human, through and through._

The Armored Titan’s eyes narrowed. _And you know this how?_

The smaller Will tossed her hair in an elegant motion. _I’m an expert on assessing human and super-human combat potential, it’s my job. My Will, if you want to be specific. Besides, everyone’s accounted for, right?_

The Armored visage somehow managed to look regretful without actually changing its expression. _Except for Jaw._

Well, she wasn’t going to get a better opportunity than that. Jaw drifted out of Ymir and dashed forwards, biting down on her brother’s nose with a crunch of armored plating. _Hey guys!_

The Armored and Attack Titans were both veterans of thousands of years of Titan combat and the Guardian had inherited centuries of battle experience. So all three of them would deny until the very end that they all shrieked like little girls. Jaw spat out some armored plating and grinned a jagged-toothed grin as they were swarmed by their siblings and one very excited cousin. She was soon wrapped in an uncomfortably armored but very enthusiastic embrace while the Attack Titan rustled her hair in a way Jaw could never bring herself to wholly dislike.

_Thank Mother you’re alive! How’d your Shifter survive the Mindless?_

_How’d you get over the Walls?_

_How did you find us?_

_Where have you been?_

_Why my nose?_

The Guardian smirked a little and dashed away towards an equally short blonde and the tall, sweaty teenager behind her. _Wake up you miserable maggots,_ she shouted, doing a passable imitation of Shadis, who was currently bellowing at Armin Arlert. _Your long-lost Jaw Titan’s back, and she’s got a bite to remember!_

The Colossal Titan emerged slowly and simply drifted over to the very noisy gathering in silence while the Female Titan simply dashed straight through the Guardian’s form as she reformed in a puff of sourceless dust, and proceeded to shout down all her brothers as Jaw took her abuse with a smirk.

_Of all the inane, self-sacrificing, nobless-oblige, downright stupidest things you’ve ever done Jaw, sacrificing Marcel to save Reiner and Armor is at the absolute top. It wasn’t even a meaningful sacrifice, he died to a random Mindless Titan! You absolute brick of a Will!_

She rushed forward and engulfed Jaw in her own embrace, nearly smothering the other Will until Jaw finally tapped her broad forehead against her sister’s. _I’m sorry we made you worry,_ said the smaller Titan quietly. _I’ve been a fool for a very long time._

The Female Titan shook her head and most of her siblings pretended to ignore the tears that flew away as she did so. _The biggest of us all,_ she sniffed, and let a weak smile cross her flayed face. _A Titanic Fool, even._

 _But I’m back now!_ said Jaw brightly. _So there’s no need to cry dear sister! Just be grateful I found a female host as well, or you’d be stuck here with all these men and no one to commiserate with._

The Guardian frowned in a way none of the other Wills would ever admit was adorable and shoved her way to the front of the pack, the telltale glimmer of some half-formed weapon coalescing in front of her. _You take that back right now, Jaw Titan! Your sister’s been perfectly kind to me and I won’t have you casting aspersions on the Attack Titan, he’s been downright respectful!_

There was a moment of silence as Jaw tried to figure out who the grey-eyed Will was and failed magnificently. _And who are you?_

The seemingly human Will tossed her hair again and flourished a now very solid pair of knives in a gesture equally ceremonial and threatening. _I am the Guardian Will of the Ackerman Clan, twelfth generation, second branch iteration, pledged to Mikasa Ackerman, last survivor of the Oriental Shogunate within the Walls of Paradis!_

Jaw’s mouth worked soundlessly as words failed her until the Colossal Titan cleared its throat in a burst of steam, breaking the spell. _Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Guardian of the Ackerman Clan. Now how’d you meet up with the rest of my family? I’m sure it’s a very interesting story, and I can tell mine after that._

The Guardian tossed one of the knives up and down in the air as she told her story and the other Wills scattered back to nestle above their hosts and listen comfortably. _My branch of the Ackermans spent most of their life on the run, so I was mostly dormant for twenty long, boring years. But one rainy day in a mountainside cabin, we heard a knock at the door…_

The story continued uninterrupted, the Guardian warming to her story, and the Attack Titan chiming in with Grisha Jaeger’s perspective occasionally. Even when Jaw casually drifted across to lick the dried tears from the Female Titan’s face, the story continued without a pause. After all, it was hardly the strangest tendency the Ackerman Will had seen from the Nine Titans.

Once the Guardian’s story reached the Fall of Shiganshina, she slowed down and spoke less freely. The Attack Titan kept erupting into green fire intermittently and glaring at its siblings, and only the Female Titan could meet his gaze. Jaw wasn’t surprised but was admittedly a little disappointed. Partially in her own naive hope that her survival would be a catalyst to start fixing their family, but the fault lines, if anything, had widened between their green-eyed brother and the rest. Granted, the Warrior Titans now had the fresh blood of thousands staining them, an atrocity Jaw had conveniently avoided. _Was this too part of Mother’s plan_ , she wondered. She’d assumed the Attack Titan would have made some coded reference to their meeting in the Paths, dropped some phrase or reference, but he’d been just as surprised as the Armored Titan to see her. Still, the power Mother had used hadn’t shown Jaw everything, so perhaps the Attack Titan wasn’t all-knowing either. This was all very confusing.

“What the HELL is wrong with your face, you smiling idiot?”

The Titan Wills looked down as a grinning trainee babbled something to the drill instructor about giving their life, limbs, and service to the King. A Marco Bodt, whoever the hell that was.

The Attack Titan nudged the Female and Colossal Titans, who turned to face him. _That reminds me, that idea you had last week about making up for lost time regarding the King…_

The Colossal’s eyes didn’t bulge out of his head, but Bertholdt did feel the sweat pouring down his back double in intensity. _You want to try that here, in front of three hundred recruits and all our Shifters?_

The green-eyed Titan chuckled. _Well, Guardian and I held him off before and now with the three of you, plus the newly arrived Jaw, I figure we’ve got a shot at freeing the Founder._

Jaw felt like she was missing a critical piece of the puzzle and didn’t like it. _What the Founder? Don’t tell me it’s been hiding in that Lenz girl?_

The other titans shot her questioning looks. _Who? That dwarf blonde even shorter than my Shifter? That’s a poor joke Jaw,_ said the Female Titan shortly. _Brother, do you really want to do this now?_

 _Better than standing in the sun listening to a drill instructor for the third time in as many decades,_ muttered the Armored Titan.

 _Wait, what are we doing?_ asked Jaw, trying not to feel as alarmed as she was.

 _Beating the crap out of an old man,_ said the Attack Titan, before he dived back into his brown-haired host.

The space around the Guardian shimmered as silver-linked chains manifested themselves, topped by a wicked spiked ball as the other Titan Wills prepared for battle, drawing from sourceless dust that took on the suggestion of corporeal bodies. Jaw looked around wildly as the humans below stood oblivious in parade-ground stances. _Wait, what’s about to happen?_

 _Old man enslaved the Founding Titan,_ said the Armored Titan, now a fortress of armored plating the others formed up behind as the Female Titan had shards of crystal floating around her and the Colassal burst into new flame. _So we’re going to beat the crap out of him._

The Guardian sighed a long-suffering sigh that all the Nine were well aware of by now, the long sufferance of Will personality quirks. _I do wish you’d curse less, we are surrounded by children after all._

A green comet flew out of Eren Jaeger and slammed into the Armored fortress with the sound of a bell being struck. The Attack Titan rubbed his cheek, which was now distinctly charred. _He’s pissed._ A massive golden arm burst out of Eren Jaeger, followed by a cackle of maddened laughter. _Bloodthirsty Aberrant, you really thought that would be enough? You can try all you like, you and your little clockwork Ackerman, I will never let you have the Founder!_

The massive, chained form of King Karl Fritz clambered out of Eren Jaeger’s head and gazed in astonishment at the assembled Titans, who glared back with equal ferocity, save Jaw, who was just confused. The Female Titan’s voice was as ice-cold as her Shifter’s when she spoke first.

_Artificial Will, King Karl Fritz, Ye Who has Renounced War, will you surrender to us, Five of the Nine Titans? Release the Founder, and we may let you live._

Karl Fritz spat at them and the spit sizzled into vapor as the Colossal Titan’s fury at the insult rose. Even the contemplative star-watcher was roused now, and Jaw felt any lingering confusion vanish as she bared her teeth. The Armored Titan spoke for all of them. _Tear him apart!_

King Karl Fritz clasped his hands together and golden chains blasted out from his body as they charged, three wrapped around the Armored Titan, straining to hold back the armored behemoth as the most honorable Will blasted fire from his mouth in an effort to melt the chains. Two took the Female Titan in the shoulder and chest, driving through her in a spray of blood that vanished into nothingness and dust as it landed on the training ground and ignorant humans below, who were watching Shadis berate Connie Springer. Crystals clambered across her hand as the Female Titan sawed away at the links pinning her to the dirt, but she wasn’t fast enough.

 _Let me help with that!_ chirped Jaw, as she flipped up to stand on top of the chains, gripping them with every one of her crystal-hardened limbs. _Shouldn’t be too hard for the best armor-piercer of the Nine._

 _Vile cockroach,_ spat Karl Fritz, _you will do no such thing!_ No less than six golden chains with barbed tips flew towards Jaw in what seemed like slow motion as her limbs moved like molasses, straining to wrench apart the links that bound the Female Titan. They were breaking, yes, link by link, but not fast enough. One of them was going to take her eye, she could already see it, and it was going to suck. Could she even heal something like this? They’d never fought each other without bodies, never had the opportunity, but now…

A massive pillar of fire and flesh landed in front of them and wrenched the mad King forward as it pulled on the chains. _Free the others, little sister,_ said the Colossal Titan. _I shall hold this abomination. We are the Nine, he is but one, after all._

Jaw felt love and renewed trust swell inside her as she redoubled her efforts, shattering chain after chain even when her teeth cracked and bled as she forced them against chain after golden chain. _I knew getting back to you was the right idea_ , she said around a mouthful of blood and shattered crystalline enamel. _How very comforting,_ snorted the Armored Titan as it helped the Attack Titan to its feet. _Wait, where’s the Guardian?_ His companion pointed.

The Guardian might not have been the oldest, wisest, or most physically imposing of the Nine Wills, but she also had none of their restraints. She was a weapon forged by the Founding and Beast Titans for a single purpose, to kill as efficiently as possible, and she was demonstrating that capability to King Karl Fritz with every iota of energy available to her. Silver chains tangled with gold, ignoring any attempt to halt their momentum as a massive spiked morning star plowed through to shatter the King’s nose and orbital structure, causing one golden eye to fill with blood as it nearly flew from its socket entirely. _That’s for the Attack Titan,_ she snarled, every inch an Ackerman as Karl Fritz wrenched the weapon from his face and discarded it as a golden shield erupted into existence around him, just in time for the Guardian’s twin silver knives to embed themselves deeply in it, blades mere inches from vulnerable soul-flesh. She was forced to drop them as more chains chased after her and only one found its mark, bisecting her hand before flinging the girl away, over the training yard, barracks, and almost past the fence.

Below, Mikasa Ackerman stumbled and almost fell out of line as something tugged at her soul, but she recovered quickly. Annie Leonhardt looked on, feeling a swelling anger in her gaze as she took in the tall, beautiful Asian woman, but not knowing why. So she buried it deep, like she did most emotions, and went back to watching Sasha Braus stand up to Commander Shadis with mild astonishment.

The Female Titan absently patted Jaw on the head as she wrenched the barbed chain tip from her chest. _I’ll shatter his spine,_ she seethed as Jaw looked into the bloody hole to be sure they hadn’t missed anything. _I’ll take his head off, I’ll bisect him for this._

Jaw swallowed. _Shouldn’t we let the Founder have the last word?_

_He shot me through the fucking tit, Jaw. All the way through. I loved that tit, it was a work of Mother-crafted art, and he just blasted it to pieces!_

Jaw looked at her sister and was torn between worrying and laughing. _I’m more worried about you right now, you’ve clearly been around the Armored Titan too long._

The Female Titan’s expression softened just a bit as she ran her hand through Jaw’s lanky brown hair. _It’s good to have you and my brother back, Jaw. Now give him my regards._

_What?_

The Female Titan’s grip tightened around the name of Jaw’s neck as she flung the Will towards the ranting, golden King in what Xavier had described to Zeke Jaeger as the Fastball Special.

None of the Titan Wills, strictly speaking, had mass, weight, height, or physical presence. The Beast Titan had performed several distinctly uncomfortable experiments on them all over the years, only to shrug and admit that scientific developments held absolutely no answers regarding their curious existence and likely wouldn’t for another two thousand years. So while the Jaw Titan’s metaphysical presence had no true weight and had no measurable momentum behind it, it still hurt when it collided with Karl Fritz’s golden shield. It really hurt.

It hurt enough that Jaw thought a nap was a perfectly good idea and dissolved back into Ymir’s oblivious form to drift into well-deserved oblivion.

_______________________________________

 _Is it bad if I say she had a glass jaw?_ asked the Guardian.

The Attack Titan was beating its fists bloody as green fire corroded inch after inch of golden shield but it grunted something vaguely affirmative. The Colossal Titan’s massive will pressed down, forcing the King to spend precious energy to avoid being crushed beneath the largest of the Nine, though the conflagration around them was making the mortals feel the noonday sun more than usual.

 _It’s not very honorable,_ admitted the Armored Titan as it mirrored its brother’s two-fisted assault with less self-harm. _But there’s a certain dark humor in it._

 _Save it for when we put his head on the Guardian’s pike,_ said the Female Titan, prying handholds in the dirt below the golden shield. _We almost have him._

_Such arrogance from such outdated creatures,_ sneered Karl Fritz, through the sweat and blood pouring down his ravaged face. _Batter me all you want, you cannot undo the bonds I have forged with the Founder. All this violence will achieve the same as the Titan War, namely nothing of real worth, Just more needless suffering. This proves the need for my Vow Renouncing War, I think. It prevents mindless golems such as you from regaining the world-shattering power of the Founder, even if it means the extinction of the Eldian race. It is only justice for the centuries we subjugated the world. Can’t you see-_

_Oh Mother, shut up!_ The Guardian needed two hands to lift her spear, but the Attack Titan took it from her with just one and with a roaring final strike, Karl Fritz’s sphere of protection shattered like glass as the Wills descended on him. It wasn’t pretty.

Golden fire stirred in Eren Jaeger’s soul as the chains around it dissolved and the glowing form of the Founding Titan drifted up towards the waking world. _Ugh…how long has it been?_

It emerged blearily into sunlight and could feel the familiar presences around it, even if it hadn’t used its eyes in upwards of a century. The Founder let out a breath of relief as it caressed the familiar touch of the Paths no other could see, the invisible strands that linked every Eldian in the world, even the Wills themselves. The familiar sensations gave it some strength and the Founder levered itself up from the dirt, golden form passing through countless humans below without incident. “Krista Lenz” felt something, but before she could place the sensation it was gone as Keith Shadis ordered everyone to begin a rudimentary physical fitness test. Two rows away, Armin Arlert groaned in resignation and began performing push-ups.

 _At last, I have returned._ The satisfaction in the Founder’s voice was almost tangible as the other Wills fell to one knee, automatically deferring to the strongest among them. Well, almost. The Attack Titan strode forward, green eyes gazing into faded blue and realized the Founder was now blind. For such a combative creature, his face looked lost until he felt the Guardian’s smaller hand join his in silent support as she spoke to her progenitor. _Lord Founder, I am a_ _Guardian Will of the Ackerman Clan, twelfth generation, second branch iteration, pledged to Mikasa Ackerman, last survivor of the Oriental Shogunate within the Walls of Paradis!_ As the Founder’s sightless face tilted down, some of her formality fell away as she shuffled in place. _It’s nice to finally meet you, sir._

 _And it’s nice to feel my family around me once again, child,_ said the Founder. _Sister, Armored, Attack, Colossal, and I sense Jaw slumbering somewhereabouts, if the Paths trace true. And we’re still on the island, a bit of a shame. I’d hoped to wake up in Jotenheim, but I suppose a return to the capital will come in time._

The silence that greeted this statement was clear enough the Founder could hear Shadis praising Reiner Braun’s stamina from halfway across the training yard. The Titan Wills engaged in a silent, but no less furious war of Eldian battle-sign and rude hand gestures over the responsibility to update the Founder to the horrific crimes they had all committed. The Founder’s face, smooth and beatific, took on some of Eren Jaeger’s glower as the silence stretched around him. _The last time the Attack Titan awoke me, I sensed a vast slaughter of Our subjects, the Children of Ymir. Now, five of the Nine are here and the rest absent. What has transpired?_

_You have to come clean,_ signed the Attack Titan with no small amount of relish. _Admit to your sins and foolishness and the Founder will pass judgement._

 _As if your own hands are clean, coward,_ signed the Armored Titan. _You ran out on us a century and a half ago, if not more, and never gave us an explanation. You start!_

The Female Titan tapped her younger cousin’s shoulder and they shared a commiserating look before the only gendered Titan drifted forward, mouth open as she prepared to speak. _Founder, I have much to apologize for, and little time to do so, but the affairs of men accelerated as you slumbered. The Eldian Empire is no more, the Great Titan War shattered it utterly. Marleyans now rule in Eldia’s place, and control Seven of the Nine Titans, including myself._

The Armored and Colossal waited on tenterhooks as the Founder folded itself into a cross-legged position. _I had expected the dissolution of Eldia, but the King and I had planned to gradually release individual nations over fifty years to minimize the political unrest. Did Karl Fritz lose control of the situation? The tempers of mortal men are so difficult to temper when they aren’t Eldian._

 _Karl Fritz,_ snarled the Attack Titan, flickering with fury, _imprisoned you to carry out his own mad plan to topple Eldia in a civil war, using the Tyburs and the Warhammer. Millions died and the Eldians are killed at the drop of a hat for any number of reasons. The Nine are either on the run or enslaved to the Marleyan war machine. I alone escaped to reach you and have brought you before the traitors, at no small cost, in the hopes of freeing Mother from her own imprisonment._

 _As if we chose this,_ spat the Armored Titan while the Colossal rumbled in agreement. _Founder, the Noble Houses are ash, we have been passed to ignorant, stumbling children, and were sent to destroy the Three Walls of Paradis to retrieve you. The Beast and the Warhammer have their reasons, and we shall explain them once you return with us to Eldia. Why trust the words of the renegade who has avoided his family for a hundred and fifty years? Even now, the Attack Titan pursues his own goals, revealing little even to his own family. Beware Founder, for even among the Nine, trust is now in short supply._

The Attack Titan roared in indignation and charged forward, green fire at its fingertips as the Armored prepared to counterattack, but both Wills vanished with a pop, banished back into their hosts as the Founder’s countenance took on a thunderous expression, fury pouring off every inch of his golden form. The Guardian found herself hugging the ground to avoid being blown back into Mikasa and shouted in desperation. _Founder, Father, please! None of us know what to do anymore! The Nine are at each other’s throats and I can’t keep the peace alone. Help us!_

The Founder held up a single golden finger. _One moment. The adults are talking._ He stepped to the side and disappeared entirely, leaving the remaining Titans to stare dumbly at the space he occupied. The Female Titan was the first to speak, her voice bitter with the accumulated disappointment of ages. _Well, thanks brother, that was a huge waste of time._

The Founding Titan appeared in the Desert of the Paths with a _pop_ of displaced air and _tsk_ ed in disappointment at its wayward siblings-slash-children. (None of them could agree on what the Nine’s relationship to the Founder was, so it remained comfortably enigmatic) _I need to understand what has happened in the past one hundred years._

“Allow us to illuminate you.”

The Founder spun on the spot, revealing a man with green eyes holding the hand of a young girl, who regarded the Founder with a single raised eyebrow that somehow managed to convey eons of disappointment. _And who are you?_

The man’s face was impassive, betraying not a sliver of emotion, so unlike the expressive Titan Wills who usually found their way to the Paths. “I’m Eren Jaeger, the last and final holder of the Attack Titan, Warhammer Titan, and Founding Titan. This is YMIR, she’s a great person.”

The girl gave Eren Jaeger a small smile and squeezed his hand, and the man squeezed it in return, which made YMIR’s face light up in a joy the Founder hadn’t seen in two thousand years. Not since she’d held her first child…

_So why are you here, Eren Jaeger? And where are your Titans?_

Eren jerked his free hand over his shoulder at the coruscating pillar of light that heralded the Paths. “Somewhere in there, we think. The Titans got into a bit of a family squabble and we thought it was best we leave them to it. You’re welcome to sort out the problems of your future self, if you like-“ The desert rumbled and the sky split asunder with a CRACK of ear-splitting proportions as the Paths trembled. Eren grimaced and YMIR looked slightly guilty. “But I’d advise against that.”

The Founder swelled in indignation. _Dozens of Kings and Queens have presumed to command me and I alone can intercede with Mother YMIR on your behalf, so what arrogance_ -

“Could intercede,” interrupted Eren, his free hand clenching into a fist as he drew YMIR behind him. “Past tense. YMIR’s making her own decisions now. Either fight or walk away. No more compromise. Not on this. Not for freedom.”

After a glance down at YMIR, he held up both hands and assumed a fighting stance. Behind him, YMIR mimicked the motion, with a positively ghoulish grin directed at the Founder which disturbed him more than anything Eren had said. The golden Titan was silent for a long time, but neither Eren nor YMIR stood aside. _May I at least trace the Paths of history? Long and dark have been my dreams of late, and I would know how I came to stand before Five of the Nine on some silly little training ground on Paradis’s resource stockpile. For now, I seek only answers._

Eren lowered his hands slightly when YMIR tugged on his pant leg. She sent him a rapid flurry of signs and Eren bent down. “Please, could you slow down? I’m still getting the hang of this.”

YMIR rolled her eyes and signed slowly as the Founding Titan watched with interest.

“Well, if you’re sure…” Eren’s trailing sentence made it clear how much doubt he still had, only for YMIR to kick him in the shin.

“OW! Ughh, see, all my worst habits are rubbing off on you. Sure you don’t want to spend time with Zeke?”

She kicked him again, harder, as Eren stifled a mix of laughter and a genuine groan of pain. But the Mother of Titans was unrelenting, causing to hold up his hands in surrender as the Founder looked on in bemusement. “Alright, alright. Go ahead then, Founding Titan. The Paths cannot lie.”

The Founding Titan walked towards the tree of light, casting glances over his shoulder as YMIR’s assault on Eren degenerated into something halfway between a brawl and a tickle fight. He huffed in amusement and no small amount of exasperation. The Paths would tell him, as they always had and always would, the truth of the situation. Only he and Mother could travel them freely, an ability he had perhaps used too much, since he had now apparently been imprisoned for a hundred years. One golden hand dove into the Paths of every connected life and the Founding Titan’s inhuman mind absorbed the experiences of millions of Eldians in the span of seconds. Golden knees hit the sand as the Founder collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face, chest heaving with sobs and beaths he didn’t need to take. _YMIR, how? How could we let this happen? How could I? Why? Shouldn’t the others have stopped this? Aren’t we family? Did that ever mean anything? Or was I just the biggest fool of all, for thinking we ever were a family?_

A small hand tilted the Founder’s chin up and he saw YMIR and Eren looking down at him, faces grave despite the roughhousing they’d been involved in moments before. Or perhaps moments were now months. Time meant nothing in the desert of the Paths, after all. The Founder knew that better than almost anyone _._ He’d left YMIR here, they all had, thinking it was what she wanted. He had to know for sure. _YMIR, Mother, please tell me…Do you want to leave this place? Did we trap you here? Were your children truly so ignorant and foolish?_

YMIR’s face went slack, her hands loosened as thousands upon thousands of years crashed upon tiny shoulders. Building Titans, again and again out of sand. Repairing them and their Shifters when wounded, all in service of her Master’s wish. His descendant’s wishes. Then, Eren Jaeger, the hope she’d barely dared to have. The Attack Titan, the Kruegers, the Last Loyal Sons. Her hands formed signs slowly enough both Eren and the Founding Titan could decipher, shaking with the emotion they imparted as YMIR bared her teeth in a pained grimace once more.

LET. ME. BE. FREE.

Now the Founder was weeping as well, head bowed, almost prone at the weight of his failure. _Yes,_ he choked out, _I will. Anything for you. I’m-I’m sorry._

“Don’t be sorry,” growled Eren Jaeger, his hands in the pockets of his jacket, “Be better.”

_I’ll try._

And with a swirl of wind and sand, the Founding Titan’s time was up, as Karl Fritz’s chains wound their way back across the most powerful Titan. The golden form disappeared from the desert of the Paths with another pop and Eren pulled back his sleeve to look at a watch, for exaggerated effect. “I know time is malleable here, YMIR, but can’t we speed it up or something? That business with Annie’s three and a half years away, the Rumbling’s seven years. And I’m not exactly looking forward to that.”

A wooden bucket hit Eren in the face, and his laughter was more bitter than true mirth.

Two broken Titan Shifters passed the time as the Founder was drawn back to the present. A golden form flickered back into existence in January of 846, at the 104th’s training grounds. Invisible Titans looked up from the wounds they were either nursing or attempting to patch together.

 _My apologies, siblings, cousin. I have neglected you for far too long. Here, some small recompense for my absence._ The Founder waved one golden hand and sourceless dust flowed together to knit wounds and replace lost limbs. The Armored Titan rushed forward, grasping blindly for solid contact. _Founder, give us some answers, please. What can we do, if our Shifters are bound to destroy Eldia in the end? What can we possibly do, besides whisper? We want to make this right! I want to make this right!_

_Oh, I couldn’t possibly interfere with a story such as this,_ said the Founder. _No, no, no. I will be here for all of you when necessary, when YMIR has decreed it, but not a moment too soon. I cannot simply wave my hand and whisk your troubles away Armored Titan. You must endure, as you always have, alongside your Shifter. You’re almost at the end. Have faith._

The golden figure dissolved into dust, which flowed back into Eren Jaeger, who was by this point leaning on a railing and watching Sasha Braus run laps until the sun went down. The sun continued to set as the Guardian and assorted Titan wills attempted to make sense of the Founder’s cryptic words. The Attack Titan, inevitably, spoke first. _I’ve always hated them, and now I feel truly justified._

_For once, brother,_ admitted the Armored Titan, trying to stem a bloody nose, _we agree._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So originally this chapter was just going to cover all of the Titan's time with the 104th, but it quickly bloated into a much bigger chapter, so I've split it in two. 
> 
> I always have great fun writing the Titan interactions, especially the Guardian's unique relationship with all of them. Jaw, unsurprisingly has an oral fixation, and is the type of character who would chew pens at every chance. We also get a little more Eren & YMIR schmaltz, but I wanted to leaven out all the Titan drama. Next chapter's going to be a mix of drama and teen comedy.


	12. The 104th: Up Close and Personal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 104th gets to training and the Titans settle in for a long three years. Jaw and Attack put their heads together, while some of the Nine start getting a little too involved with their Shifter's lives.

As they normally did after a battle, the Titan Wills drifted back to their hosts to sleep and contemplate what they’d experienced, but for once the mortals interfered. The children had discovered that Eren and Armin were from Shiganshina and Eren was soon surrounded by gawping fools eagerly asking about the Armored and Colossal Titans. Eren’s unflattering descriptions made his Attack Titan chortle with glee and take every opportunity to rib its unresponsive brothers. _Face like a corpse and an unremarkable Titan, eh? Truly how the mighty have fallen, to have your dignity stripped from you! The Colossal’s never even had hair, so he’s never experienced the satisfaction of my flowing locks._

The Attack Titan tossed its head in imitation of the Guardian, who glared at him from where Mikasa was loading a plate with food as Eren and some self-absorbed Trost boy began arguing about the survivability of the Survey Corps. _You’re way too cheery, tone it down and let’s just listen to the mortals for a bit. Quit poking them._

_Oh, but this is just too rich, Guardian!_

_We’re in this training camp for two years, you’re going to have to learn how to get along with your family again. In fact, I’m going to make it my personal project._

The Attack Titan retreated as Eren walked out the door, followed soon after by Mikasa as the Guardian advanced on her cousin. _You wouldn’t dare._

 _“Oh wow,”_ breathed Jean Kierschtein as Mikasa passed him. “Excuse me!”

Mikasa turned as Jean stumbled over his words, face bright red even under the candlelight. “Excuse me, it’s just…I’ve never seen anyone like you before. I mean, you have really beautiful black hair.”

The Guardian preened. _See, even this human recognizes how much artistry goes into my Ackermans. All I need to do is turn some of that attention to detail to your family squabble and we’ll be right as rain before graduation day._

Mikasa thanked Jean politely and left in pursuit of Eren while the Guardian stared back over her host’s shoulder. _Oh, look, he’s blushing, how adorable! Cousin, how long do you think it’ll take before-_

The Attack Titan cut her off with an annoyed grumble as their conversation bled into the one their hosts continued as well.

“Would you lay off, it’s no big deal!”

The Guardian’s eye twitched. _You get so worked up about everything, just like this afternoon when you spontaneously decided to let Karl Fritz out five minutes into a family reunion so you wouldn’t have to face the awkwardness. It’s classic avoidance._ Mikasa responded to Eren and the Attack Titan’s stated objection smoothly while the Guardian’s rant continued. _“You get so worked up, you don’t think things through.”_

Eren and the Attack Titan snorted in unison. “ _Again with this? Look, if you want to get worked up about something, work on cutting back that hair, it’s going to get in the way of 3DMG training_.”

The Guardian’s shriek of outrage could be heard through two wooden walls.

___________________________________________________________________________

A day and a half later, the tables had turned when Eren magnificently failed to balance on his 3DMG. At the Armored Titan’s urging, the Guardian had informed her green-eyed cousin in the smuggest possible voice, that Shadis had sabotaged Eren’s training gear. All throughout the day and well into the evening she drank in the Attack Titan’s silent rages like a sweet summer wine. But once he quieted down, forced into silence by his Shifter giving himself a concussion, the rest of the evening passed smoothly. Only at the very end of the meal, when Mikasa broached the subject of returning to farm work, did the Guardian dare to speak again. _You know, if your Shifter’s having trouble, why not ask the Colossal Titan? Bertholdt’s even taller than Eren, and Reiner Braun’s built like an Ackerman himself. High center of mass, thanks to all those muscles, it would be good for you three to talk, if Eren’s really going to drop out. Try to end things on a good note._

One green eye opened. _This isn’t very subtle, Guardian._

_I’m not trying to be subtle, I’m trying to get you to swallow your pride. Now go do it._

The Attack Titan didn’t bother with a backward glance as he and Eren stormed out, leaving Mikasa and the Guardian to torment Sasha Braus, which was their way of making a new friend. Still, both Eren and his Titan knew they needed to ask for help, but they saved Bertholdt and Reiner for last as Jaeger and Arlert made the rounds of the boy’s first bunkhouse. Soon enough the two shorter boys got drawn into conversation with the two taller ones, surprisingly at the Colossal’s urging as the vast Will occupied most of the space in the bunkhouse corner. _You’ve reminded me a great deal of Czinost’s Comet these last few days, Attack Titan._

_How so?_

_Long isolated from the rest of us, you careen wildly about in erratic celestial orbits as you seek a new equilibrium once disturbed. You make halting attempts at peace, then turn back to silent rage and sniping comments. Circumstance and fated Paths have brought us here, and you seek to free Mother, from what I understand. As if she is imprisoned, when it seems she is exactly where she wants to be. Otherwise, she would have left by now. Clearly the Founder spoke with her in some manner, so all is well. If you wish to deal with these circumstances productively, along with your siblings, you must temper your rage. Otherwise, it will be a very long three years of training, and I have no desire to fight you. One battle against a maddened Will was enough for this month, I think._

The Attack Titan opened its mouth to say something cutting and visibly thought better of it, swallowing their words with reluctance. _I get angry, you take refuge in astronomical terms, and Armored hides behind their honor as much as their armor. Jaw puts on a cheery face, the Beast experiments, we all have our coping mechanisms, they’re a part of us. You might as well ask the sea to flow backwards, brother._

_You spurn the possibility of change? Not something I would have expected from the Titan who said they always moved forward._

_Change is for mortals. We simply adjust._

Below them, the boys were shrugging on cloaks and toeing into their shoes as the Colossal looked at Reiner’s head in surprise. _We weren’t paying attention, where are they going?_

A sleepy voice drifted up from short blonde hair. _Out of camp, secret training. They’re becoming friends, based on your Shifter’s lies. Dishonorable._

The Attack Titan bobbed along behind Eren reluctantly in silence as the Shifters and Armin moved out of the training grounds. It noticed the Colossal’s skinned visage had turned upwards and followed its gaze to the constellation of the Hunter, visible in the sky far above them. The largest will spoke so quietly, the other wasn’t sure if he was supposed to hear the muttered words. _Change and strife, as always. But the stars have shifted too. Slow changes, over many lifetimes, but change they do. Irreversible progress._

The Attack Titan cleared its throat. _When I first came to Paradis, the stars were the one thing I appreciated most._ Its brother’s surprise was audible in its sonorous voice. _Oh, and why was that?_

 _The electric lights of Marley blot out the stars in the cities and towns, hide them under a closer, brighter light. I only saw the stars when crossing the plains between the coast and Wall Maria, that long first night. I hadn’t seen them in so long, I was surprised how much I missed them…_ The Titan hesitated, unsure how honest it wanted to be before deciding as usual to damn caution in this case. _They reminded me of you. Of when you would take us up onto your shoulders and spend hours going on and on about planets and trajectories and all the other rot until we’d fall asleep just like our Shifters._

_I have always found great beauty in the natural world. It is a salve for the tasks our Shifters often set upon us._

_It’s a cruel world, brother. I see no reason to sugarcoat it beyond the occasional appreciation._

_We who live here make the world cruel,_ said the Colossal Titan as the party crested the hill to reveal the stunning moonlit lake spread out below them. _Nature simply is._

The two Wills drifted back into the huddled humans as Reiner went over the sequence of belt clasps and Eren watched intently. The Armored Titan looked out from Reiner’s eyes and felt within his host a reluctant but swelling mix of pity, regret, and respect. “Your name’s Eren Jaeger, was it? I’m sure you’ll accomplish your dream.”

The green-eyed boy looked back at him and smiled. “Reiner Braun, yeah, you too. We’ll all go home again one day.”

 _This is going to end horribly_ , thought the Titan.

_____________________________________________________

Sindri Mulhollam ended horribly and Annie Leonhardt couldn’t do a damn thing about it. The 104 had been warned, over and over, that training with 3DM gear was dangerous, that mistakes and injuries were expected, even deaths. There had been some close calls, like when Connie used too much gas and gave himself a concussion by way of tree branch, or when Mikasa attempted a complicated spinning maneuver that just had her vomit mid-flight. Enough to make everyone cautious, but not enough.

Sindri was fifteen meters ahead of Annie in the treeline, resoundingly beating the short blonde on this speed-based obstacle course when she misjudged the angle of her grappling hooks. Instead of flying straight to embed themselves in the sturdy trunk she’d been aiming for, they curved sideways to latch on to a far weaker branch. The other girl’s full body weight snapped the branch in an instant and Sindri dropped like a stone, trailing wires as she desperately tried to reel in the hooks to save herself, screaming in terror. Annie and her Titan noticed the mistake at roughly the same time and pushed their body into overdrive, fingers wrenching down on the triggers, propelling themselves forward to save the other trainee. But they were just too far away and Sindri was falling too fast.

Analytically, Annie was a spy for Marley, an enemy combatant who wouldn’t have tried to save an Eldian trainee who was going to die because of simple training accident, through no direct fault of Annie’s own actions. She knew individual lives had no special value in a brutalist world, especially not Eldians who were viewed as sub-human in the first place. But no matter how much she and her father had tried to bury it, there still existed a crack of basic empathy and humanity in Annie Leonhardt. She felt compelled to try anyway, to save someone she’d sat next to in the mess hall, literally broken bread with. The Female Titan, long accustomed to battle, agreed. No matter what, you still had to try.

Annie grit her teeth and bounded downwards, shoving off the side of a redwood with her own battle-hardened muscles, gaining precious meters even as the coldly analytical part of her mind the Beast would have approved realized there was no way she would make it. Ten meters above the forest floor. Five meters. Annie’s hand grasped blindly for a brown sleeve as Sindri’s shriek left human decibles and approached a death-scream of blind panic. Two meters.

CRACK.

Annie’s own grappling hooks strained as the nearly free-falling Shifter wrenched to a stop barely a meter above the rock that had shattered Sindri Mulhollam’s spine at the juncture between 13th and 14th vertebrae. Wide, frightened blue eyes stared into tear-filled brown as Sindri gasped her last few breaths, body fighting for life that was already fleeing it. A decade of training under both Marleyan and now Eldian drill instructors fled as Annie’s lips parted. What could she say, what was she going to say to someone who was dying? Someone who wasn’t just there and gone, like Marcel? Someone who was dying slowly, right in front of her?

Death looked very different through the eyes of a Titan.

 _Oh, child,_ soothed the Female Titan, though Annie of course could not hear her. _Let me in, just this once._

The first time any Leonhardt was faced with death, they usually shut down, a family tendency the Beast Titan and his Shifters had encouraged in ways both obvious and subtle. It made recognition of the reality of test subject death known while limiting emotional attachment, allowing for further battle experience and further test subject death with minimal emotional drama from a Shifter with a conscience. Annie had, of course, already killed plenty of people with the Female Titan’s own hands, but not like this. Marcel had been quick, but she’d panicked. Not when she’d been in full control and tried to save them, only to fail. She could have transformed, could have grown a hand from lightning to save Sindri, but it would have doomed her, blown their mission wide open. No, said Annie’s ruthless side, Sindri couldn’t be saved and had to die. Still…

Her triggers released and Annie fell to the ground, sliding down the side of the rock before landing on all fours in the grass, where she quickly scrambled back up the slope to hold Sindri’s hand. She wouldn’t die alone, at least.

The Female Titan realized Sindri was already dead, but Annie didn’t move, even when the hiss and buzz of 3DM gear heralded the approach of other trainees. Jean was the first on the scene and he took it in with a gasped “oh shit” and vanished just as quickly, shouting at the top of his lungs for Commander Shadis. Annie’s eyes were unfocused but were locked on where her hand held onto Sindri’s own, the weight and pressure in her grip now the center of the Leonhardt’s world.

The Female Titan slid into Annie’s higher functions with the ease of a woman who had spent a very long time around death. Her Shifters had been young hedonists, warriors, matriarchs, and she felt her heart go out to Annie. _I’ll take care of this dear one._ Her Shifter’s mind was playing the last few minutes on loop, the scream, the fall, Sindri’s desperate grab for her hand, it all felt so visceral compared to the Titan who literally looked down on others. _Sister?_ “Annie?”

Annie’s body turned as Reiner and Marco approached, their expressions uncertain, while Armin and Mina hovered in the background, wanting to help but unsure of what to do. Annie and the Female Titan spoke in unison, but while Annie’s anguish was clear, the Female Titan’s crystal spine of will allowed her voice to remain a habitual flat monotone. “ _She’s dead. Grappling hooks missed, and I couldn’t get to her in time.”_

Reiner’s expression was heavy with understanding and the dark realization that Annie wasn’t as closed off as she usually was. Her emotional walls were down, even if her voice was steady. A calloused hand came up slowly towards Annie’s shoulder, giving her plenty of time to react. “Annie…Are you alright?”

The Female Titan was shunted back into Annie’s subconscious as a childhood memory came roaring into Annie’s mind with the force of her own kicks. Her father, stern and uncompromising on every day she’d seen him save the last, standing to the side of a training dummy while her legs bled. “Are you going to stop because of a little blood? Are you that weak? That pathetic?”

Annie’s icy blue eyes met Reiner’s gold with a glare all the fiercer for its momentary absence a few moments before. “I’ll live. She won’t. Just get Shadis.”

She dropped Sindri’s hand and stalked away from the growing gathering, even as Keith Shadis entered the clearing on a horse, bellowing for a stretcher, then, upon closer inspection, pulled his cloak over the corpse.

Annie walked the four and a half miles back through the forest to the training grounds, ignoring the presence of other trainees as they either ran to catch up with her (Bertholdt, Marco, Mina) or swooped by on 3DM gear (Armin, Reiner). She was firmly inside her own head, memories of what had just happened and memories of Marley far away, warring inside her as the Female Titan watched them play out in silence. Her eyes remained dry.

_These children,_ grumbled the Armored Titan to the silent Jaw, _are emotional wrecks. Torn between what they know and who they’re discovering. Reiner still dreams about being a hero, but the details are muddled now. Sometimes he’s in white, with his parents reunited, the Marleyan Warrior hero. Sometimes he’s in brown at Wall Sina, feted by the King and Court. I don’t like it._

Jaw made a sympathetic noise. _They’re in for a rough time of it, for sure. I’m just glad mine got to avoid all the slaughter._ Her brother shot her a look that had Jaw clattering its teeth in apology. _Sorry, sorry. Still, you have to admit, no matter what choices they make, your Warriors will hurt someone deeply. As will my Shifter._

_What choice will yours have to make? She seems pretty content latching onto this Lenz girl and freeboating through training so far. Does she even know about the 13 year lifespan?_

_She does, but I don’t think she’s thought that far ahead. She’s just living for herself right now. It’s not like your Shifter’s self-sacrificial nature is doing him any favors. Or you._

The Armored Titan made a rude hand gesture at Jaw, but his heart wasn’t in it. _You know my Will is to be protective, just as yours is to be excitable, or Attack’s is to be furious. We can’t regret what we are, and my Shifter’s guilt will eat him alive if he doesn’t learn how to let go of it._

_Mmm…I never did apologize for that._

_What, throwing your Shifter in front of a Mindless for me? Shouldn’t I apologize to you for our inattentiveness? We should have noticed a buried Mindless Titan._

_Mother meant for that to happen,_ said Jaw without thinking.

 _WHAT_? Jaw was suddenly wrapped in armored fingers as her brother’s anger and shock combined into something unexpectedly volatile. The Warrior’s Titans were under just as much pressure as their Shifters and even the Colossal had been cagey lately. Jaw rapidly re-evaluated what it had been about to share with its indebted brother. _I only mean that we can’t change what has happened. Only the future._ Armored searched Jaw’s face as the smaller Titan swallowed saliva and the desire to bite down. Neither would help now. Finally the larger Titan relinquished its sister with a sigh and a muttered apology. _All of this…how much longer can it continue? It feels like none of us can rest, day or night. Colossal’s started burning up Bertholdt’s nightmares so his screams don’t wake up the bunkhouse as much. And Sister’s getting way too involved with her Shifter, did you see what happened there? We shouldn’t, Paths, we can’t take over our Shifters like that. What was she thinking?_

Jaw wasn’t sure what to say and so remained silent. Comforting others was normally the Female Titan or the Colossal’s role in their family. Jaw just distracted them with something stupid and she knew if she tried that now she’d get deservingly punched. She looked down to see Krista crying into Ymir’s shoulder and took some comfort in the fact her Shifter looked just as lost as the Titan Will. Reiner’s shoulders sagged under the weight of some massive burden and the other trainees looked lost. Shadis was marshalling them, but was quiet-voiced and gentle-handed, taking his time. Still, sooner or later he’d decide that some yelling would snap them out of their shock and things would get moving. Better make use of the limited time they had. Jaw reached out and nipped at the Armored Titan’s hand, an action which drew a reluctantly fond smile from her brother. _I’ve found that sometimes, problems work out when we do less thinking. Let’s not let our Shifters brood on this, if we can. I usually chew up bad dreams myself, but if you have some other method like Big Red to defend the subconscious, go for it._

_Thanks Jaw._

“Atten-TION Recruits!” bellowed Shadis, causing even Armored to snap into attention, he really was a soldier through and through. “This is the tough reality of 3DMG training, so take a good long look! Better she died like this than in the jaws of a Titan, so let this be a lesson you lot remember for the next year! You track your grapple velocity, track viable anchors, and for the love of the Walls and Sindri’s sad-sack here, you keep track of the soldier closest to you! Got that?”

There was some mumbling and mutinous mutters as trainees cast fearful glances at Sindri’s outline beneath the dark green jacket.

“I said, do you understand, recruits?”

There was a chorus of “Yes Drill Sergeant!”

“Good, now back in formation and head back to camp at half-speed. Anyone else breaks their necks today and I’ll bring you back just to kill you myself! Dismissed.”

Brown-jacketed trainees and Shifters moved off, once again flying up into the trees though with far more caution. Jaw kept watch for its cousin and the particular Will it wanted to speak to, but Mikasa and Eren were far ahead of the others, and their Wills kept to themselves.

___________________________________________________

Jaw finally caught up with the Attack Titan a week later while the trainees suffered through a lecture on Titan reaction times. (They were excellent, even for Mindless brutes) Most of the other Wills were asleep, but the shaggy-haired Attack Titan was gazing thoughtfully at the diminutive form of Krista Lenz, who kept kicking Ymir to keep Jaw’s Shifter awake. Because the Wills didn’t have legs, Jaw couldn’t sidle up to her brother, but she came close enough.

 _What’s your interest in the girl?_ Asked Jaw with little preamble, feigning mild curiosity. The Attack Titan didn’t break its gaze as it spoke. _Your Shifter’s sweet on her, always hanging around. The tall brown girl and the short sunny one. Get Colossal to write a play or something._

 _That’ll keep these lectures from being so painfully boring,_ agreed Jaw _. But you’re dodging the question. An Ackerman and a blonde genius, your own Shifter keeps interesting company as well._

The Attack Titan made a noncommittal noise, but Jaw could tell his attention was now focused on her because he was very, very still. She weighed the risks, especially since she could still feel the Armored Titan’s grasp on her nonexistent neck. But Jaw was a naturally sociable Titan, unlike her brother, the self-appointed black sheep of the family. She hadn’t kept secrets from her family before and this one was so large it threatened to spill from her lips during any slow moment around another Will. Letting out a breath of relief, Jaw went for it.

_I spoke with Mother in the Paths recently. Do you remember that?_

The Attack Titan turned around now and his green eyes bored into her own with his customary hungry ferocity. _I do not. When was this, what did she say? What did I say? Was this her work or the Founder’s?_

_Oh no, this was all Mother’s doing, something about kinship with some other girl named Ymir, ill-treated by the world. She’s got a plan, I think. Mostly involving you, but she wanted to let me in on it, for some reason._

The Attack Titan’s expressions were limited by its eternal skull-face, but it still managed to convey intense suspicion. _And what plan is that?_

Jaw grinned. _Mother never was big on specifics, but she used the Paths to show me the Lenz girl, the one Ymir came to find. The girl’s got royal blood and Mother wants me to protect both of them: this new Ymir and Krista Lenz. She was far more talkative than the last time we all met up in the Paths, and from what the Founder said, this is new for them as well. As for when this happened, just after my last Shifter got eaten. Mother freed Ymir’s Mindless Titan just for this purpose, I think._

Despite the seriousness of what she said, Jaw still couldn’t resist a joke. _I know, I know. Thinking’s still pretty new for me, but I’ll get used to it._

The Attack Titan had manifested a hand, just to trace its own jawline in thought. _Interesting…If the Paths are outside of time, then it makes sense. But if I was there-_

 _Yeah,_ admitted Jaw, _I still don’t know what that was about. But she touched you and the central pillar of the Paths to get me those memories, so you were involved. Are involved._

 _Will be involved,_ corrected the Attack Titan. _What you described will eventually happen. You received future memories by channeling power from my future self._

Jaw could feel a headache coming on. _So is that something you will learn how to do?_

_It’s something I could do. The ancestral memories of the other Eight only went backwards in time. Mine went forwards as well, from the very first Shifter to the Last._

_So you can see the future?_

The Attack Titan hesitated, two thousand years of silence clamping his mouth shut. Jaw made pleading eyes and whined a little. _Brother, this is important, come onnnn!_

Her green-eyed brother gave in and explained. How they had acted in the past to help secure a very specific future, sometimes without even knowing why they acted, but certain of the Attack Titan’s ultimate goal. A future where Mother would be free from the Paths. A future that could only be found on Paradis island, with a host named Eren Jaeger. His sister’s jaw practically fell off in shock, but for once, she spared him her inane babbling. _So that’s why she wanted me to help you. But why now?_

The Attack Titan looked tired, as the weight of centuries of patience bore down on his shoulders. _Now? Because now we’ve reached the end of the line. The last few Shifters any of us will ever have, are nearly all born. My sight can go no further forward if there are no more Shifters after Eren._

Jaw paled and clacked their teeth nervously. _The Beast Titan said something before we left for Paradis, about euthanization of Eldians as a method to destroy the Nine. Is_ \- she almost didn’t want to voice that thought. _Is that going to happen?_

_So that’s what the Colossal meant last year._

There was silence broken only by the droning of the instructor and the scribbling of Armin’s pen.

When it came, the Attack Titan’s answer was far more hesitant than Jaw would have liked. _I-I do not know. I hope not. But if we must be destroyed for Mother to be free, that is not a call any of us can make alone._

 _So we should wake up the others and tell them about this, right_? pleaded Jaw _._

_No. The more Wills who know, the more likely something goes wrong. That’s why I worked alone for the last two thousand years. What’s that expression about crockery humans have?_

_Too many cooks in the kitchen, spoil the soup?_

_That’s the one! No, we keep this between us._ The Attack Titan’s expression softened and he ruffled Jaw’s hair. _Thank you for being honest with me, sister._

She hesitated. _I have to ask though, if you were the only one doing this for the last two thousand years, what was that like? I’ve only known barely a year and I want to shout it from the rooftops?_

The Attack Titan’s expression was resolute. _I made a promise to Mother._

And in the end, that really did explain almost everything. Jaw rolled her eyes and settled back into Ymir in an attempt to sleep. _Momma’s boy._

_Of course._

__________________________________________

Annie was not the kind of girl to curl up and cry in her bunk. Oh, she wanted to, and in fact had sequestered herself in the girl’s #2 bunkhouse that evening and Shadis had been unusually quiet when she showed up late to the muster the next day. He’d approached her later alongside one or two other soldiers with a concerned expression and more questions than Annie cared to answer. She’d spat out the bare details of what had happened before Shadis, reading something in her (was it tone, posture, expression? Annie knew she was a bad liar), realized now was not the time and departed. _At least he’d tried to be consoling._

Annie moved off to her one and only method of solace, the training ground. Namely, pummeling an unresisting dummy with kicks until it became too dark to see. She drifted back into the 104th regular schedule the third day, but it felt like the distance between her and the rest of the class had doubled. Krista, who was already the 104th’s Little Angel, was warned off by Ymir’s frown and insistence the shorter girl tutor her that week. Even Reiner and Bertholdt, her fellow partners in genocide, weren’t welcome, which she knew didn’t make sense. They all had blood on their hands, hers was now just a little fresher. Why should she be so affected by this? Annie didn’t know. She still wanted to complete their mission, still stole away to spy on the nearest MP outpost in town, but Annie was just going through the motions.

The moment came on that Saturday, one of the required days off, which meant half the trainees were goofing off, and half were trying to study for the test on Wednesday. Annie was kicking the dummy again. Whock, whock, whock.

When Annie really got into a rhythm, the hours could flow by. Low kick, body kick, high kick, switch kick, push kick. A diagonal kick set if she was feeling flashy, and a jumping kick every once in a while, to make sure her technique was still strong. Not that she’d ever need to use that last one. Annie kept going.

Whock, whock, whock.

 _Ok, so this isn’t working,_ the Female Titan admitted to herself. _She’s just repressing all of this, and Armored is right it’ll end in tears. Should I just let this play out? I wasn’t this involved with the last seven Shifters, so why are we all getting sucked in? Even the Attack Titan._ Annie had been watching everyone and the Female Titan had on multiple occasions seen the most bellicose of her brethren look at the little spitfire of Eren Jaeger with the kind of tenderness he’d only ever reserved for her, or the other members of their family on rare occasions. The Female Titan was interrupted in her musings by another blonde bob drifting across the training yards and watched with interest as Armin Arlert drew closer.

_Of course he’s carrying a book._

Armin sat down on the hard-packed earth two dummies away from Annie, leaned back against the wooden post and opened his book without a word. The Will drifted down to read the title and his expression. The human’s eyebrows were set in determination, but the tight grip on _Assessing Architectural Strength: 3DM in Urban Environs_ betrayed his nervousness. Annie had clearly noticed him, but she couldn’t figure out Armin’s game. Tuning out his existence was quite easy, so she continued her routine, the sound of tempered flesh pounding away at wrapped wood and leather. Whock, whock, whock.

For the entire rest of the afternoon she kept expecting Armin to say something, some meaningless comfort, or one of the stock phrases she heard every day in the Eldian ghetto from self-deluding fools. _She’s in a better place. Let me know if you ever need anything. How are you holding up? It’s going to be ok._ All lies from people who couldn’t face the realities of the world they found themselves in. But Annie was stronger than that. Her father had seen it in her and forged her into a weapon, and she took refuge in that strength, because who she was, was all she had. Someone like her couldn’t afford a dream.

Not like Armin. With his dream of the outside world.

Whock, whock, whock.

The Female Titan smiled as she followed the direction of Annie’s thoughts. _Thank YMIR the boy has given me something I can work with. Now let’s see if he sticks to it._

The brazen little bastard actually followed her out to the training ground the next afternoon and sat one dummy closer. This time he was reading _The Strength of the King: Advantages of Autocracy._ Annie abused the dummy for an hour in mutual silence while the Female Titan waited eagerly, watching lines of approach be considered and discarded in Annie’s mind. Finally she settled on something nondescript, a conversational lure so Armin would show at a minimum what he wanted out of whatever-this-was. “How’s the book?”

Armin’s lips twitched behind the pages and he turned a page before responding. The Female Titan nodded approvingly. _Good, he’s choosing his words carefully._ Annie was always something of a lone wolf, but right now she was easily startled and would flee from this conversation if spooked. Not that the Leonhardt girl would ever literally retreat, she’d just more likely go back to ignoring him. The Titan Will tuned back in to hear the tail end of a clipped but devastating tirade.

“-monarchistic garbage peddled to reinforce the rule of the noble families and governing structures of the Walls. The Compact of Humanity is lauded as an optimized system of governance, but I’ve drawn up more efficient local governing models before bed!” He was passionate, but not heated the way the Attack Titan’s host so often was. Like Annie, his was a cold rage, finely honed and directed, stored for when it needed to be used in a classroom or the battlefield soon to come. Annie and the Female Titan raised a single blonde eyebrow in unison as she stepped back to begin a different set of kicks, circling around the dummy to assault it from all sides. “So why are you reading it?”

“It’s always useful to know how your governing officials perceive the world and the problems in it if you want them to change. We just have to use the right incentives…” He trailed off as Annie paused to sip from her canteen and admonish the idealist. “

It’s not healthy to take that kind of interest in government, especially if you’re a warrior. Not the kind of attention you want Arlert.” Annie silently cringed at her slip of the tongue and hoped Armin wouldn’t think much of it. But it was Armin, of course he did.

“We’re training to be soldiers, not warriors, Annie. But thanks for the warning anyway.”

He sent a warm, genuine smile her direction and it rebounded from the emotional walls Annie had reinforced at his presence. She did not need this today. They were silent for another twenty minutes until Annie stopped herself from speaking again. She was used to spending long periods in silence and solitude, but Arlert’s mere presence was dragging sentences out of her. “What would you say is the difference between soldiers and warriors?”

Armin closed the book as Annie and her Titan awaited his answer. “I’d say a soldier is part of a unified chain of command, a greater whole, whether a squad or a Legion, and acts in service to that whole, even if it means giving up their life. By contrast, while a warrior also has a hierarchy, it is based on personal strength and thus far more fluid and focused on individual achievement. A warrior would seek personal glory and survival where a soldier might not.”

Annie couldn’t stop the hint of bitterness from creeping into her voice. “I expected that kind of moralizing from Jaeger, not you.” But Armin actually burst out into laughter, a short chuckle that gave Annie’s next kick some extra anger-fueled force.

“Sorry, sorry,” he gasped as he attempted to bring himself back under control. “I think we’ve misunderstood each other. I wasn’t making a moral judgement, just describing a strategic paradigm. Soldiers and warriors both serve the same function, they just apply it different ways, with different priorities. They each have their time and place in a military force. I’d say Eren’s just as much a warrior as he is a soldier, there’s so much fire in him to go after the Titans.”

“He’s going to get himself killed with an attitude like that,” observed Annie as she brought her leg down, not even bothering to continue the training, though she at least finished her set. Always finish the set.

Armin’s expression shifted into a mix of resignation and stubborn hope as he ran his fingers through his hair. “In the long run, yeah, probably. But who knows what he’ll do before that happens? People with his kind of drive can change the world if they keep moving forward.”

On the other side of the camp both Eren and the Attack Titan sneezed, which caused the Guardian to look him up and down. _I didn’t know you could sneeze._

_Does it matter?_

Annie loomed over Armin now. “At what cost to everyone else? People like Jean, Bertholdt, Marco and I who don’t have that ‘special something’?”

He waggled the book. “That’s why I keep coming up with governing structures in my spare time.”

“I thought you wanted to see the ocean?”

Armin blushed a deep red and looked away. “How’d you know that?”

The truth was, Bertholdt had mentioned it during a Warrior’s meeting with the kind of quiet despair that had come to characterize their stolen minutes. Annie thought about mentioning it, but the Female Titan, sensing a conversational landmine, thrust one of Annie’s more pleasant memories to the forefront of her mind. _Don’t mention another boy, you dumb blonde! Keep going!_

“Mikasa mentioned it on that hike to the lake last month.”

“You have a great memory then, no wonder you do so well on our tests!”

Annie tucked a rebellious strand of hair back behind her ear. “Nothing like yours.”

The Female Titan emitted a squeal of delight as both children realized how that sounded and blushed bright red. Well, Annie’s was more a light pink flush, but still. _Thank YMIR, something finally positive out of all this dreck. These kids seriously need to-“_ She broke off as she sensed the Guardian coming closer and shouted in the Ackerman’s general direction. _If your sentient muscle has any hint of romance she’ll turn around right now, Guardian. Just let me have this!_

The Guardian’s reply was a blunt _What,_ to which the Titan responded to with a single raised finger while Annie and Armin stood there, unsure of what the next move would be.

Armin finally stood up and remembered how to speak Modern Eldian. “Well, uh,” he fidgeted. “It’s always nice to talk to you Annie. Will you be out here tomorrow evening, then?”

She couldn’t afford further breaks in her routine, couldn’t afford to sympathize with another Eldian who could slip and break their back all over a rock just like Sindri, but Annie found herself saying yes anyway.

“That’s great, I could use some peace and quiet. If you don’t mind?”

_How is that twitching so adorable? What is she-oh hohohoho!_

Annie was feeling something twitch inside her and didn’t like it. It felt like the time she’d accidentally swallowed a Colganthan soldier. Really, she didn’t care either way.

“Whatever.”

Whatever Armin was about to say was interrupted by the dinner bell. “Oh crumbs, I promised to meet Connie for study practice tonight!” He dashed off in the direction of the buildings, waving over his shoulder. “Bye!”

Annie looked down at the book that lay at the foot of Armin’s unabused dummy. _Cheeky little boy,_ grinned the Female Titan. _He left that on purpose. What ever will you do Annie?_

Her Shifter’s expression was back to the stone façade she normally wore, but she propped the book against the dummy’s arm and head to keep it out of the dirt. Armin would find it tomorrow, if it didn’t rain. It wasn’t her problem.

___________________________________________

Two weeks later:

Armin Arlert was rapidly becoming Annie Leonhardt’s problem. Mostly because he was so damn persistent, showing up almost evening with a new book and a lantern for when it got dark. This allowed Annie to stay out later and continue refining her techniques for decapitating training dummies, so it had the veneer of propriety. Even better, whatever their arrangement was, and it was an arrangement now, Armin kept his damn mouth shut. Eren and later Jean had both asked where he disappeared to once they kept missing him in the bunkhouse, but Armin just smiled and said he’d wanted some peace and quiet in the evenings. When an unusually pensive Eren had once tried to follow him, Armin had actually gone to the small library and left Annie alone, rather than spoil their peace.

Somehow, the boy was learning to tell when Annie was willing to talk and when she only wanted several hours of silent company, accompanied by the refrain of _whock, whock, whock._

 _Ahh, the budding shoots of young love. Centuries of arcane courtship rituals and I somehow never get tired of it all,_ sighed the Female Titan. Annie had switched to forearm blocks and jabs while she and Armin debated moral relativism. Both admitted there was no such thing as a Good Person, but while Annie held this was true across no matter where Armin went, the boy thought Good was individually defined and had common character traits that exemplified social frameworks. The Female Titan got lost fairly quickly in the more academic words Arlert kept using, but he always backed up and explained whenever Annie raised one eyebrow in a silent question. Her host preferred the Stoic approach: short, simple, precise language. This also had the advantage of making sure she didn’t let anything else accidentally slip, like the “warrior” distinction that started all this off.

“So you agree with me.”

Armin frowned. “Mostly. Empathy is critical to a functioning society, but uniformly applied at all levels of society? Sometimes people need to make hard decisions. Maybe even cruel ones.”

_Oh YMIR we’re back in this emotional minefield._

“What if someone knows empathy is important, but finds it useless?”

“Like what?”

Annie’s right hook tore the straw head from the dummy and the two shifted down a row to a new one while Armin pulled out a sewing kit and listened. “Say a butcher. Empathy for the pig you raise keeps it alive, not so useful when the time comes.” A knife-hand chopped down at a shoulder nerve cluster to emphasize her point.

“Or a soldier,” mused Armin. “But wouldn’t compartmentalization ensure butchers and soldiers separate their jobs and their lives? They could go home at the end of the day?”

“Some people can do that,” admitted Annie. “Some can’t.”

Armin finished stitching the dummy’s head back on and sighed. “If we’re getting into shock reactions that diminish empathy, I can just point you at Shiganshina.”

Another dummy head went flying as the Female Titan winced. _Here we go again._

“Plenty of people from my home saw Titans eat people, heck look at Eren and Mikasa! They’re good people, they still have empathy. Or Reiner and Bertholdt!”

_Not sure those are the examples you want to use, kid._

Annie had turned to look at him again and looked like she wasn’t sure whether to keep questioning or stalk away, but Armin kept going. “Even sociopaths are aware they lack empathy and fake it to maintain social respectability. They know the importance of caring for others even if they don’t have that care themselves. Even soldiers like us aren’t just soldiers. We can do other things with our lives, you know.”

Annie’s expression was thunderous now, her eyes drawn together and pinched in a glare as Armin tried to figure out where he’d misstepped. “N-Not that I’m calling you a sociopath Annie. That was just an example. I’m-sorry?”

His apology became more of a question as her glare trembled, but Annie’s voice remained monotone. “I’m talking about people whose lives are their work. They have nothing else. Can you imagine Eren settling down on a farm with a family? Jean, Marco, Krista? Easily. But some of us…” Another decapitated dummy. “This is all we can do. All we can afford.”

Armin didn’t need a genius IQ to connect the dots, but he was at least smart enough to stay where he was and talk to the blonde’s back.

“You’re only human Annie.”

The Leonhardt girl grit her teeth where he couldn’t see. But she wasn’t. She was a worthless waste, an Eldian devil-spawn, just like everyone else on this island, in the camps across the world. The only good that ever came from her birth was providing her father with the safety and comfort only a Warrior of Marley could afford their Eldian families. Reiner had a large family, half a dozen or more of a brood of cousins, uncles, nephews, and aunts alongside his mother. Pieck had her parents, grandparents, and younger brother. Even War Chief Zeke had grandparents, she’d seen them wave him off at the docks. Annie Leonhardt just had her father, who wasn’t even blood, but somehow still mattered just the same.

Wasn’t that pathetic? That even after causing the deaths of thousands and plotting to cause the deaths of thousands more, she did it all for him? To keep him safe? To win a vanishingly rare half-smile? (he never smiled with his teeth, only the corners of his mouth) Faint dreams of warm cocoa in a frigid, drafty tent?

She spat the words back at him over her shoulder. “Only human.”

Yes, and that was the raw of it. Annie knew that all of her, from her moral cowardice, nihilism, joy in combat, desperate approval, kindness and courage alike, all of it was human, both good and ill. She strode off into the dark and though Armin ran after her with his lamp, she was soon far ahead of him.

 _Annnnd here we go again,_ sighed the Female Titan in despair.

_______________________________

She was complaining at her siblings and a surprisingly attentive Guardian about this for the next week as they patiently endured her, just as Armin patiently endured the frosty silences at the training grounds. The other Warriors could guess that someone had majorly pissed Annie off, but no one was in the infirmary, so they couldn’t tell as easily as they used to in Marley. Also, for once it wasn’t Reiner. (The Armored Titan felt this meant things were improving, the Colossal and Jaw disagreed.)

_So Arlert’s going to have to man up and apologize, because Annie would rather be shot than reach out to someone else._

_Mikasa’s the opposite,_ sighed the Guardian in frustration. _It’s blindingly obvious to everyone that she loves Eren, she jumps at everything he says, but sometimes it’s a tad desperate. I’m allowed to say that right? I can have a poor opinion of my host, when they’re being stupid?_

_I’d say it’s a requirement. Our whispers can help them reconsider when they’re impulsive, even if it sometimes feels like we’re screaming into the void. You’re just lucky you’ve got an Ackerman and not a Shifter, they’re so much less receptive without the ancestral memories. Fuck the Marleyans for that. They destroyed the Beaumonts, and I loved that family. You know how many daughters I sired through my Shifters?_

The Guardian drifted closer, intense curiosity written all over her face. _How many?_

 _Nobody knows, because I lost count!_ _Now they’re all gone, and I’m left with scraps of memory_. _Be grateful for your Paths and your loved ones, Guardian. While you still have them._ The Female Titan’s voice was soured from long experience. _Mother and Founder, I wish we could get drunk._

Jaw drifted by as Ymir and Krista drifted out of the bunkhouse, hand in hand _. No you don’t._

_Yes I do! I want it more than anything. This is why pre-pubescent hosts are the worst. Can’t get drunk, can’t get laid, can’t travel the world. Guardian I don’t know how you stand being stuck in these walls._

The Guardian was juggling knives for her own amusement as a thoroughly asleep Mikasa dreamed about being “Mikasa Jaeger”. _I’ve only ever known the Walls, just like my kids, so feel free to give us the grand tour when this is all over._

_That’s right, Arlert still goes on and on about the oceans. Well, I can tell you Annie was horribly seasick on our voyage to Paradis, and that’s pretty nasty._

_I’ll make a note of it,_ said the Guardian absently.

_Incoming lovebird! c_ alled Jaw from somewhere out in the darkness in a sing-song tone as a nervous knock sounded from the door of the bunkhouse. Mina Carolina opened it to find Armin, ramrod straight with Thomas and Connie as obvious moral support. “Annie,” he squeaked at Mina.

“Sorry?”

“Could I please speak to Annie?”

“Mina looked over her shoulder as the other girls _oooohed_ , echoed soundlessly by the Female Titan and Guardian, while their hosts remained silent. “I don’t know, the bunkhouse is pretty crowded, is Annie here?”

Lounging like a big cat in her perfectly visible bunk, Annie rolled her eyes at the ceiling. Still, bless Mina for giving her an out. She flipped down to land on her feet, causing her white hoodie to land over her head in a maneuver she’d done hundreds of times. “I’m here. What is it?”

“Can I speak with you?”

“We’re speaking right now.”

“I mean-“

Annie folded her arms. Anything you can say to me, the girls can hear it too.

 _Oooh, catty,_ said the Female Titan with approval. _Make him work for the apology, good move. Just don’t go ball-busting here Leonhardt._

_Wait, cousin, as in the combat move or the torture technique? Because Ackerman Paths have both of th-oooooh._

_There we go._

Armin was an impressive shade of crimson, but that steely blue determination had entered his eyes again, a mirror of Eren’s own. “I’m sorry, Annie. Our-“ he hesitated, “discussion last week was rather more personal than I realized and I overstepped my bounds. It was my fault and I’m sorry to have hurt you. If we ever come close to anything like that again, please let me know and I’ll drop the subject.”

He looked so nervous, standing there in the doorway with a dozen girls staring at him, but so painfully earnest that Annie’s heart went out to him against her better judgement and her own nature. “I really enjoyed our time together, and I hope you did too.”

There was that shy smile again and YMIR damn her, but the smile won her over. A corner of her mouth tilted up in reply.

“It was…pleasant.”

Armin blushed and visibly restrained himself from any further reaction as Connie and Thomas fistbumped behind his back while the girls exploded into whispers.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Annie shrugged, playing at a nonchalance absolutely none of them bought.

“Sure.”

“Absolutely not!” bellowed Keith Shadis as he strode up and through the little cluster at the door, sending trainees scattering before the bow wave of his wrath. He flung his arms forward to send Ymir sprawling on the floor with Krista held by the scruff of her neck. Both were disheveled, Ymir’s hair was mussed, and Krista had a small bite mark on her very visible collarbone. Because neither of them were fully wearing their shirts. Ymir’s pants were even unbuckled, but she rolled onto her back and winked at the mortified Krista. “Jeeze, someone’s still stuck in 775 huh? I mean really. Girls can’t have a bit of fun?”

Annie was reluctantly impressed at what her father would have referred to as the taller girl’s _hutzpah_ as Jaw silently wolf-whistled above them and exchanged a high-five with the Female Titan. _I won, I won, sister! In your face! Hahahaha!_

But Shadis wasn’t done. “Ladies, I hope you get a nice long night of sleep, because I now expect you all to be up and in the auditorium by 500 hours. Thanks to Street Rat and Miss Lenz, you’ll all be getting a proper education on sexual safety and attendance is mandatory! Miss Lenz will be bunking separately until this matter is resolved. Now goodnight!”

Shadis vanished back into the dark, ignoring Krista’s protests that she still needed to grab her toothbrush as the boys fled and the girl’s cabin erupted. Mikasa turned over and opened one eye. “What’s going on?”

Ymir finished buttoning her shirt and summarized her case with the air of the deeply wronged. “Sadist Shadis is a homophobe.”

“What’s that?”

As Mikasa received a very rude awakening, her Guardian cast the two female Titans a skeptical eye and was now juggling her knives in a far more menacing manner. _So you’ve been betting on which one of the humans would lose their virginity first? And you didn’t include me? What were you even betting with?_

Jaw spat a raspberry at her, but smiled to show it was still in good fun. _Not all the humans, just our Hosts. We have some standards, which is why we used to bet imaginary Shells, but now the loser has to tell an embarrassing Shifter story.. We tried to run the numbers but all of us are shit at dates without the ancestral memories. Best guess it’s been about six hundred years since all the Nine were stuck inside teenage Shifters._ Jaw waggled its eyebrows suggestively at the Guardian, who looked torn between disgust and reluctant laughter. _We just left you out of it because your host came in dead last every single time._

The Guardian gestured at Mikasa as she silently absorbed Ymir’s biased account of the evening. _Lies and slander from the Nine Titans! Just look at her! My Mikasa, my walking work of art! That muscle definition, the flowing black hair, the bow lips, her natural grace! Men should be throwing themselves at her feet like Kierstein! YMIR, send the women too! I’m not picky! My girl deserves a good time!_

The Female Titan pursed her lips in a self-satisfied smile. _Well, you were saying earlier how she comes off as a tad desperate…_

_Oh, come on!_

While the boy’s bunkhouse quieted down around midnight, the girls didn’t fall asleep until two in the morning, but despite it all, Annie still had that small smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a lot of fun with the Titan's conversations, but juggling them in parallel with the in-show conversations is going to give me an ulcer or something. Fair warning, next chapter will likely contain at least one sex scene, because a) horny teenagers but also b) I need to learn how to write one and it's killing me that I don't know. Next chapter will also cover all the way to the opening of the Battle of Trost, because time skips abound right now. 
> 
> I also realize I keep waffling on calling the Attack Titan "it" vs "he/him" for pronouns and I'm so torn. Following my own rules, the Attack Titan is in Eren's body, so it's definitely male, but they're also a tremendous driven force of destruction and change different from all the other Titans and I just wanted to emphasize that. Like you'd refer to a natural disaster, I dehumanize the Attack Titan with gender-neutral language to emphasize its "otherness". I'm of two minds, but might stick with "he/him" pronouns in the future. 
> 
> The Female Titan is a hedonist/voyeur/overbearing mother about romance, because 2,000 years as a Titan is enough time to experience and spectate so many trashy soap opera love stories and sweeping romances alike. I was unsure if Armin and Annie's conversation was a little too obvious and it definitely is for the more subtle world of AoT's dialogue, but this IS a fanfic. It also gave me an excuse to use Armin as an author's mouthpiece on the dichotomy between warrior and soldier. Achillies was a legendary warrior but a horrid human being and soldier in many ways while the 99th Light Brigade were great soldiers, but all rode into gunfire and died. Sun Tzu has Words, of course, but rest assured I won't be using Armin as the author's mouthpiece much, if at all, after this. They're all great characters and I hope these chapters aren't too OOC.


	13. Growing Up, Grappling, Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young love blossoms in the 104th and the Titans come to find some sort of peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair Warning: This chapter contains sex and references thereof. You have been warned.

Keith Shadis had been Commander of the Survey Corps for six years and the semi-retired Sergeant of the Training Division for, what, was it already four years? Time tended to fly when the Holy Walls were crushed under the merciless feet of Titans. The point was, this wasn’t the first military class he’d shepherded through training, and certainly not the first one full of idealistic and very horny teenagers.

He and the other instructors had at this point adopted a more prosaic attitude towards the prospect of trainees sleeping together. Typical teenagers ignoring their instructors in favor of wandering hands or simply skipping training to kiss in the woods, usually merited a verbal tongue-lashing and far worse, being paraded in front of the rest of the trainees. When someone was caught, in one memorable case, balls-to-the-wall without pants and _en flagrante_ with another trainee, Shadis and the other instructors convened to provide the perpetrators and other hapless trainees with no-nonsense sex-ed. He’d heard Auld of the Scouting Legion still thought the hour and a half of Shadis speaking to them about safe sex was more terrifying than even the most ravenous Aberrant. Shadis was of the opinion that, no matter how uncomfortable the conversation was for all involved, the mere fact Auld remembered it so clearly was proof they were doing good work.

By the Walls, he’d caught Sahsa Braus (the perpetual target of his ire) explaining the necessity of a sheepsgut condom to an understandably perplexed Connie Springer. Sheepsgut! Granted the more remote villages had less access to the resources and materials the main cities of the Walls had, but still. They were a modern people, and Sheepsgut was relegated to the past. (Thank the Walls, because it had itched like a sonofabitch.)

And so Annie Leonhardt, Reiner Braun, Krista Lenz, and Armin Arlert all sweated slightly as the intimidating drill instructor guided the 104th Trainee Corps into the cramped auditorium and locked the door with an audible click of the lock. They all had guesses about what had prompted their commander to abruptly change the weekly schedule away from 3DM maneuvers in favor of something more academic, and none of the results were good. The Titan Wills drifted around restlessly, doubtlessly expecting another afternoon of meaningless lecture for Them, who embodied the best qualities of Titans with none of the indignity exhibited by their pathetic Mindless brethren. This expectation was marred slightly by the fact the Female Titan and Jaw were huddled together near the ceiling and whispering together, giggling like the teenage girls their Shifters should have been. And every time the Female Titan let out a trill of laughter, the Attack Titan would twitch.

Not enough to be obvious, but the deep-set eyes of the Colossal Titan had studied the stars for centuries, and he was well-used to observing subtle shifts like that. _You seem agitated today brother,_ he observed, and the brown-haired Titan turned to look at him with resignation.

_You realize your ceaseless observation comes across as creepy, right?_

_You simply haven’t been around to absorb my insights, so they have thrown you off-course. But something about our Sister is eating at you._

The Attack Titan manifested a hand out of the sourceless dust to push his hair back, the better to glare at his brother. _You’re reading too much into things. I’m just on-guard, like usual._

_You weren’t always._

The Attack Titan’s tone was defensive. _I wasn’t always on the run from a persecutory government. Certain habits get ingrained, even for us Titans. The number of times I kicked a Kruger awake from a deep sleep minutes before the patrols found us-_

“Alright Cadets, settle down!” bellowed Keith Shadis, as another teacher stepped forward with an ominous box, which he set on Shadis’s desk before sketching out a diagram on the chalkboard in silence. As the outlines of human reproductive systems became apparent, the Attack Titan huffed in what in any other being might’ve been called a chuckle. _That explains why Armin came back to the barracks last night as red as a tomato._

If the Colossal had eyebrows, he would have raised them. _So he and Annie Leonhardt?_

The Attack Titan cast a significant glance up at the huddled female Wills. _I’d put shells on it, you know she lives for this stuff._

 _Would you actually make that bet?_ Asked the Colossal with carefully feigned casualness.

 _Oh, absolutely. The Leonhardt’s were always cerebral people but the Beaumonts had sex drives the size of a seventeen metre Aberrant. And that was one hundred percent our sister’s fault, so she probably rode Arlert like a horse. Before we kicked your asses at Liberio, she jumped Therebold Kruger in a barn as some pre-battle stress relief_.

The Colassal absorbed this new information in silence as the Attack Titan settled down in Eren Jaeger’s head to watch the unfolding proceedings with dark satisfaction. _So you and the Female Titan_ …

_Just because we’re family we don’t need to share everything._

The Colossal let out a burst of steam in exasperation. _You were speculating about Leonhardt and Arlert less than a minute ago._

 _They’re humans, that’s different_.

Realizing he wasn’t going to get anywhere as below them Shadis dragged Thomas Wagner away from the window, the Colossal Titan changed tack. _As you wish brother. Still willing to make that bet on Arlert and Leonhardt then?_

Settled in Jaeger, the Attack Titan wasn’t visible, but his brother knew the other Titan was rolling his green eyes. _Of course, I’d put six hundred shells on it._

The Colossal’s voice was positively gleeful. _We changed the rules while you were gone, considering how dirt-poor our Shifters are now, so be grateful. We’re not betting money now; we’re betting embarrassing moments._

Below, Eren Jaeger visibly hesitated as he opened his notebook, a sliver of his Titan’s caution trickling into his conscious mind. Brushing it off as unwarranted, he flipped to a fresh page and wrote in the date. Shadis was only going to talk/yell at them, so compared to That Day, how bad could it be? Inside him, the Attack Titan was weighing his options. His brother’s ploy was obvious, but the lure of catching up on the pratfalls he’d missed over the course of one hundred years of hiding was almost too precious to miss. And the others hadn’t spent a childhood around Armin Arlert, the boy was passionately open and that would have drawn out the emotionally unavailable Leonhardt girl like honey for a bee.

_I’ll take that bet, I want to hear about how the Armored Titan developed intangible combat abilities. How all of you did actually?_

_How did you?_

_I ate the Founder, obviously._

_Shh, shh, it’s starting!_ The Female Titan batted Jaw away gently and the other Titan Will obligingly settled into Ymir with the same anticipatory joy her Shifter and the Female Titan shared. Granted, they were in a military academy of some sort, so opportunities to reach debauched heights wouldn’t be as plentiful as they were for the Titan Shifters during the days of the Nine Noble Families, but teenaged Titan Shifters were always a source of humor and occasional drama for the Nine, but especially the Female Titan. The common people had plays and harlequin novels, the Female Titan had her Shifters.

The teacher stepped away from the blackboard, chalk sketches complete and nodded at Shadis who allowed himself the luxury of a small smirk as he opened his mouth, and the carnage began.

This would be the third time Annie Leonhardt had endured The Talk. The first time was a few months after she had turned twelve when a quietly kind Pieck Finger had been a lifesaver for a terrified young girl with blood between her legs. The second time had been when her adopted father had sat her down and proceeded to describe the “facts of life” to her a few weeks before she and the other Warriors had shipped out to Paradis. Perhaps in an act of mercy, her brain remembered few of the details of the conversation itself, but she remembered the gist of the well-meaning but excruciating descriptions. About two days after that conversation she had broken both her legs jumping off a building and was pretty sure that had been less painful. The third time was now 104th Basic Training, when Keith Shadis had ordered everyone into the auditorium and locked the door. The smile on the drill instructor’s face told Annie that whatever was coming, it would be awful, and he would enjoy inflicting it upon them. So it was with some relief that it was only The Talk, again, but this time she had the treat of watching the others react. Reiner and Mikasa silently took it all in, Bertholdt had gone tomato-red, and-

Annie blinked, then did it again to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Armin was taking notes. He had his tongue between his teeth in an expression of intense concentration, which the worst torture would not get Annie to admit she found endearing. A light pink blush was also spreading up his neck and across his cheek, but the pencil never stopped.

The Female Titan grinned and pushed forward the idea that Armin would be an enthusiastic “researcher” but Annie kicked that thought in the head and buried the body under her train of thought. Her Titan sighed and settled in for a long campaign of attrition against her Shifter.

Ymir was making lewd hand gestures Annie had seen spying outside a brothel in Sina, while Krista was doing her best to hide behind a book. Connie kept tilting his ears and seemed like he only caught every third word and his friend was keeping up a whispered running commentary. That could-

“Sasha Braus!” bellowed Keith Shadis with no small amount of relish. “If you are apparently so knowledgeable on this topic, please share your knowledge with the rest of the class.”

Sasha froze for a moment but pushed out her bottom lip mulishly and raised her voice. Apparently, her farm had done some animal husbandry and to Annie’s surprise, the girl summarized the particular dangers of fluid exchange with minimal humiliation. But Shadis wasn’t done with them yet.

“And you, Kierstein,” he flung chalk in Jean’s direction, which stopped his snickering, “since YOU seem to be playing tonsil hockey with Bodt every time I open a broom closet, perhaps you can demonstrate the correct usage of this!” The instructor held up something made of linen and a very red bow along with a…realistic wooden model of male anatomy. Jean complied, with the deadened expression and stilted words of a man walking to his execution. Annie looked down at Eren, expecting to see smug satisfaction at Jean’s plight or quiet relief he hadn’t been chosen yet, but no. The boy’s face was screwed up as he attempted to comprehend the diagrams Shadis had drawn on the chalkboard. It looked like he was deciphering a foreign language, and to someone who clearly channeled his pent-up emotional and sexual frustration into Titan slaughter, intercourse must’ve been an utterly foreign concept. The Female Titan cackled in glee as her green-eyed brother fell into conversation with Jaw about the number of children he had helped birth and the occasionally dramatic circumstances of their escape from Marleyan authorities.

Annie’s turn came when Shadis, assuming the quiet girl in the hoodie to be a prude, asked her to list several of the most common euphemisms for sexual activity. Annie saluted, fist over her heart like a good little soldier, face carefully neutral, and unleashed a torrent of filth of truly impressive size and volume as the Female Titan shoveled memories to the front of the girl’s mind as fast as she could. Some she’d picked up here in Paradis, some back in Marley, most from Annie’s father when she’d broken his leg. The curses spanned across five countries, fifty-seven years of history, and contained two acts that were punishable by Titanization back in Marley. Shadis wisely chose to cut his losses and did not call on her for the rest of the session while Ymir looked at her in something close to religious awe. “Teach me, Mistress,” she breathed as Krista frowned and headbutted the olive-skinned girl in the back. Only then did Annie allow herself to smile, just a little.

 _The 104 th was full of good people_, thought Annie. Shame she was going to have to kill them all, and she hadn’t even been able to sleep with the ones she wanted to. Ah, such was life as a Warrior, according to Pieck and Zeke. You either did it young, or you didn’t. Even though the two Warriors were as different as the sun and the moon, Annie still found herself looking back fondly at Pieck’s calm competence and warm smile as the younger children stumbled through obstacle courses and studied for tests under harsh Marleyan supervision. When Annie had been chased to Warrior training by a coterie of teenage Marleyans a young girl knew she wasn’t strong enough to handle all at once, Pieck had strolled out the gates alongside Zeke with a determined stride to her step. Whatever the two older Warriors said to the incipient mob, it had caused them to slink away in visible shame. So yes, you could say Annie had great respect for the power of the spoken word.

Something, the Female Titan agreed, she occasionally shared with Armin Arlert. Annie looked down at the blonde head two rows in front of her as he sat back in his chair, deep in thought as Shadis explained that any unplanned pregnancies would be an automatic discharge, with the cushion of a small military stipend for the duration of the pregnancy. She still had her mission, horrible though it was, and Annie was in too deep to turn away.

But…You either did it young or you didn’t do it at all… Inside her a fire long smothered sputtered into new life, much to the mutual surprise of both Shifter and Titan.

_____________________________________________________

“It’s just-aagh!” Armin groaned and gestured up at the evening sunset. Annie made a sympathetic noise as she pummeled a dummy with a series of blows targeting the kidneys, the stomach, and liver. Armin slammed his head against the training post several times in self-mortification. “It was even worse after Shadis’s little lesson, Thomas wouldn’t shut up about my apology to you and he kept asking me what you were like.”

“It’s been several years and I’ve thrown him onto his back plenty of times, he should know the basic outline of my personality by now.”

“No, that’s not-are you messing with me?” Armin turned to glare up at the other blonde with a surprising amount of force. More, Annie felt, than the conversation warranted.

“No,” she said, “Just speak plainly, you’re avoiding the subject. Which isn’t like you.”

Armin rolled his eyes. “A bunch of the guys think we’ve been having sex out here.”

Annie looked around the empty training yard. “Hardly the most romantic spot in the Three Walls.”

 _Spoken like a girl who hasn’t orgasmed in a broom closet,_ snarked the Female Titan.

‘Annie, this is serious!”

“They’re teenagers and fools, both of which gossip all the time. You should just ignore it like I did and eventually they’ll find something else to talk about.”

Inside her head, the Female Titan rolled her eyes. _No they won’t. You two are the juiciest piece of gossip on this island right now, believe me._

Armin was staring at Annie with something like openmouthed wonderment. “Wait, so you’ve been getting the same thing?”

“Well, I doubt the boys are asking if my dick was huge. Mina has the strangest ideas about eyebrows.”

 _You’re torturing the poor boy,_ tsked her Titan. Armin was indeed making a strangled noise as he turned a deep crimson but rallied. “Can we really talk about this?”

Annie spread her hands, “It’s not like there’s anyone listening in. Go ahead, I’m interested.”

“In me or in the gossip?” joked Armin,with an attempt at bravado.

Annie opened her mouth to say something vaguely dismissive, but the thought hooked on her existing affection for Armin and was further bogged down when the Female Titan shoved forward the memories of Armin’s very diligent note-taking. His quick-moving hands and his sharp tongue…

“Yes,” escaped from Annie’s mouth and she immediately turned white from shock as the Female Titan pumped her fist in satisfaction. _Take that Beast, Leonhardt’s are capable of romance! I am absolutely holding this over his head next time I see him!_

For his part, Armin was also being struck by memories of the torrent of sexual euphemisms Annie had rattled off in front of Shadis and the rest of the 104th, which suddenly made a great deal more sense. He was suddenly aware he had no idea where this conversation was going, and it was clear from her expression, neither did Annie. He decided to keep testing the waters. “Well, you seemed used to that kind of language, but I’m not really used to people asking me what-well, what it felt like to sleep with you. And they didn’t believe me when I said we were just friends.”

“The girls wouldn’t shut up about you either,” said Annie as she attempted to marshal her thoughts. Unfortunately for her, the Female Titan was giggling more like Sandra or the other teenagers of the 104th than a two-thousand-year-old battle-hardened Titan. And she was unearthing every stray thought, innocent and otherwise, that Annie Leonhardt had ever had about Armin Arlert. The Titan Shifter closed her eyes, it was becoming difficult to focus, but her voice was as steady as ever. “So, would you say we’ve attracted the right or the wrong sort of attention?” That was a question not just for her own rapidly-fading peace of mind, but also because she knew Reiner and Bertholdt would have words with her the next time they met near some secluded corner of the fence, and she needed something to fend them off with. She knew Armin would back her up, the silent peace they’d gained out in the training yard was something she was loath to give up, when she’d found it so few other places.

Armin put his hand on his chin, his habit when deep in thought. “Well, judging by what you’ve said and what some of the others have mentioned, neither of us will have a difficult time finding dates in the Scouting Legion or the Military Police. So I’d take it as a compliment, though I just wish the guys weren’t so vulgar about it.”

“You think that bothers me? You should’ve heard some of the goons in my hometown, real creeps.”

Armin found himself wishing for some of Kravitz’s illicit hooch, even though it tasted like blade oil. The buzzing in his head should have some rational explanation, and paradoxically the alcohol might ground him. He chuckled, more at the absurdity of the entire conversation than anything else. “We were both homeless after Wall Maria fell, so I know exactly what you’re talking about. If it helps, Eren killed a few people like that, once. Mikasa too.”

“I can believe that.” It definitely said something about where Annie was mentally that Armin’s implied story was a comforting one. Annie was familiar with accusing whispers and glares directed at her back. It was happening in a Paradis training camp, it had happened in Warrior training, it had happened in the streets of Marley. She shared something along these lines with Armin, kept appropriately vague, and he related stories of how older children used to call him a heretic, just for dreaming of a world beyond the Walls. There it was again, his foolish dream, that still made him smile in spite of all the odds and obstacles.

Annie had run from her bullies, so her father had trained her to be stronger; instead, she was running from the reality of what she had done to the inhabitants of Shiganshina. She was running away from her fellow trainees, straining as she tried to not view them as people, tried to avoid any attachments that would tear at her when the day came to break down another wall, or to transform once more. But as she looked at Armin Arlert’s shy smile, equal parts hopeful and fearful, something calcified around her heart in layers cracked open and light spilled forth. The Female Titan smiled with bow lips as Annie jerked her head once, then twice more with increasing surety. “I’m tired of listening to those whispers.”

“Huh?”

“If we’re both going to be subjected to idiots whispering about us, it might as well be for something we’ve actually done for once. Or rather, someone.”

As Armin’s face lit up into something close to an evening sunbeam, she poked a finger at his chest, spearing through a jacket and two shirts to make her point. “We do this, you keep your mouth shut, got it? I’m trying to get into the MP’s and neither of us need more gossip about this.”

Armin’s smile became decidedly more devious as his hand reached towards her. “Well, last week Shadis was going on about need-to-know information…And if you’re going to be serving the King, what’s one more secret?”

The girl opposite him was fighting an internal war to keep her face expressionless while her Titan was emitting a noise akin to a teakettle and dancing in joy. _I can’t believe I didn’t have to shove her over the edge, this is a Mother-sent miracle. Little Leonhardt’s gonna get her socks knocked off tonight! Oooh, Guardian will be jealous!_ But Armin was oblivious as he waved his hand at the parade ground, shifting from one foot to another as his cocktail of hormones and confidence broke down. “So, uh, you did say this isn’t the most romantic spot so do you-“

Annie wasn’t going to let him take the initiative. “I thought you had more class than that Arlert, a glass of wine and a bed, at least.” The other blonde blushed furiously and began to babble. “Well, I didn’t really think you appreciated that sort of thing, but that’s ok, Connie told me how to sneak into the officer’s cabins and I’m sure Vice-Captain Korvul is out of town for-“

A Titan-inspired thought hit Annie’s brain like a bolt of lightning and her finger landed on Armin’s lips, the intimate contact silencing him instantly, though it was hard to tell which of the teenagers was more surprised at her initiative. “You talk too much,” said Annie, but something in her voice and posture suggested fondness. Or perhaps it was her thumb tracing his bottom lip, that was an easy tell. Annie thought about what some of the girls outside Sina’s brothels had mentioned and blushed furiously, though she was in good company. For a long moment, both blondes stood in the empty dark training ground, illuminated only by the light of a single lamp, and neither one of them knew how to say what the obvious step was without offending the other.

The Female Titan put her head in her hands. _Honestly, without me the Beaumont and Leonhardt lines would be long extinct. Just go find a soft spot in the forest Annie. Hells, use your kicking tree, it’ll give you some good memories. You need more of those._ She didn’t have access to the Beaumont’s centuries of ancestral memories, but she remembered enough that Annie felt phantom lips brush against hers and even the suggestion was enough for the girl to realize how much she’d missed human contact. “C’mon Arlert, I know a place.” Her hand trailed along his jawline to his shoulder and then down to his arm, where it latched on and Annie started to drag Armin away from the flickering lights of the buildings and towards the darkness of the forest beyond. The Siganshina native opened his mouth to ask how often she left the camp like this before realizing what a bad idea that was. But it was not in Armin’s nature to just trail along meekly, let alone silence, so his mind frantically searched for something to fill the void.

“So I never really talked about my parents, did I?”

The Female Titan wanted to kick him, but her Shifter didn’t visibly react. “You mentioned they were dead.”

Armin slapped his hand against his own head and wished the ground would swallow him. “Well, they were pretty active in the smuggling rings of Siganshina, not that I was supposed to know that, but they had a ton of banned books. It’s where I got the idea of seeing the ocean from, but there were a bunch of other books too.”

The two teenagers took turns ducking under the wire separating the training grounds from the forest and this far from the torches of human occupation, Armin’s little lamp quickly became more of a hinderance as their eyes refused to adjust to the moonlight. Annie sighed and silently questioned if this insanity was going to be worth it, but the memory of Arlert’s careful note-taking the week before stayed her tongue. “So is there a point to this story?”

“Well, there was this one book I started reading on a slow day at our shop until my father snatched it away and said it wasn’t for children. I-I mean at the time I thought it was more a doctor’s book on anatomy but after this week…” He set their lamp down on the forest floor and opened the shutter around the tiny flame illuminating the tree trunks around them as well as his face. “I guess what I’m saying is we won’t really need our eyes for this.” He licked his fingers and doused the flame with a small hiss as the two teenagers were plunged into darkness. The Female Titan whistled appreciatively. _Smooth Arlert, surpisingly smooth._

Being a Titan Shifter conferred many advantages, but Annie’s eyes adjusted to darkness at the same rate as everyone else, so in the moments of darkness she could only feel Armin’s hand crawl up to meet and entwine with her own, which gripped his own with surprising strength. Annie had thought she was used to being alone, content or even happy with it. To her surprise, she found she was not. It was as if the bottom had dropped out of her stomach and Annie had realized she was starving.

The moonlight filtered down through the canopy of vast trees and around the trunks, as a small gasp came from Armin’s throat and she found the voice to speak herself. “What is it Arlert?”

“It’s just…your eyes. They’re beautiful.”

She wasn’t sure which one of them was moving closer, but as her eyes adjusted to the moonlight, she could definitely make out a round head and to shining blue eyes coming towards her. Emotional walls born of long habit shot back up and despite the fire between her legs Annie found herself take an involuntary step back, a thousand combat drills running through her head. “Armin I-“

“Oh Walls, sorry! Was that too forward? What would you like me to say? Was that ok?”

She felt his fingers loosen and draw back from her arms and the withdrawal in kind almost made Annie turn and flee back to the well-lit confines of the barracks where she would once again be alone in a crowd. But Annie was tired of being alone. Even if just for a few minutes, she wanted to be with someone, in all the ways that mattered. Even if it was stupid and self-defeating. Even if one day it would only bring greater pain, she found she didn’t care. Annie shrugged out of her trainee jacket and flung the brown garment to the forest floor, where it landed against her tree, already well bruised from her repeated kicks. Well, tonight it would be getting a baptismal of a different sort. The jacket was swiftly followed by her hair tie as blonde hair fell down around Annie’s face. “Stop stuttering and come back Armin. You’re doing fine.”

Even decades of emotional control and Marleyan manipulation couldn’t stop the rush of desire from making its way into Annie’s voice and her counterpart heard it loud and clear. He visibly swallowed and shrugged out of his jacket as his fingers moved down his shirtfront, button after button. Annie’s hands caught his wrists and guided his hands up to her face then, after a moment of consideration, to her shoulders. Both teenagers ignored the slight trembling, because they weren’t sure who was causing it. Armin found his voice.

“Can I kiss you, Annie?”

“Let’s see what you remember from that book, Armin Arlert.”

The challenge lit a blue fire in Armin’s eyes and he strode closer, a decisive step into Annie’s personal space as their lips came together awkwardly. It wasn’t everything Armin’s books had told him a kiss should be, so they separated briefly, each studying the other. He looked excited, eager, even, and Annie felt the walls in her mind melt away under that blue fire as they came together again, lips and fingers exploring new terrain and finding new surprises with each new rise. Annie’s hand ran back over the nape of Armin’s neck as he shivered beneath her and through his thick blonde hair. Oh Gods, it was just as silky smooth as she had hoped.

_My work here is done,_ said the Female Titan with satisfaction as she sank back into Annie’s soul. _Have a good time, kiddo. See you tomorrow._

Armin’s hand trailed up her jaw and gently tucked a whisp of hair back behind her ear as his tongue reached up to trace her upper lip. Annie murmured something that wasn’t going to be a word as she leaned into the kiss and copied the motion as they drifted slightly to the left into the center of the clearing. After what felt like an eternity they broke apart, both slightly breathless though both could have run for at least a mile before any actual exertion. Armin gave another one of his cautiously hopeful smiles and Annie felt an actual smile quirk at the corners of her mouth as her face was aflame with what had to be the most obvious blush in the world. “So?” asked Armin in an obvious invitation as he spread his hands.

_Oh, how she wanted those hands on her now, she wanted to feel him against her._

“Not half bad,” admitted Annie as her own hands ventured towards her shirt buttons. “Let’s see how you do on the next obstacle course.”

To his credit, Armin’s mind briefly emerged from the maelstrom of teenage hormones to come up with a witty remark. “Am I being graded then Commander?”

“You’d better pass,” was all Annie got out before her hands were abruptly replaced by Armin’s own as he worked the buttons with only a small amount of fumbling and his lips on Annie’s neck. She let out a quiet “oh” of surprise, then another of genuine pleasure as his lips trailed down towards her collarbone, following his deft hands as they opened the way. Realizing Armin’s shirt was already unbuttoned, Annie realized how unfair this was and set out to regain the initiative. Her hands dove beneath the crisp starched cotton of Armin’s shirt and roamed over undiscovered country.

She was surprised to discover that Armin actually had abs, muscle that shifted underneath her hands as she explored with no clear goal in mind beyond simple sensation. His lips on her collarbone drifted down and she looked down with some surprise as the normally tentative Armin Arlert bit down and drew her bra away from her body. He looked up and met her eyes in a silent question, which Annie answered with a passionate kiss to the top of his head as one of her hands disappeared into her pants and the other went behind her back to silently undo the clasp. Armin made a pleased noise and pulled back with her bra clasped between his teeth, letting it drop into his hand. Then some of her training-round confidence came back to Annie and she thrust her chest out, on hand tucking her hair back as she luxuriated in Armin’s attention and awestruck face. “Enjoying this, Arlert?”

Armin giggled and to her surprise Annie found herself laughing too as she listed back, questing hand finding the trunk of a tree which was in fact very nice to lean on just now. The whole thing was just too much. Sasha would have said Annie had tickled her own funny bone, but for once Annie wasn’t brooding about the past or the future. She was just happy and excited, along with nervous. Armin’s response only made her thrill once again.

“Oh, absolutely,” he breathed as he shrugged out of his shirt and went for his belt buckle, only for Annie’s knee to tilt his head back up towards her.

“Then you’re focusing on the wrong thing, I think,” she said as her other leg slid to the side in a silent invitation. Armin’s eyebrows rose as he got her meaning, “Are you really sure, I mean we’re moving kind of fast-“

“We’re soldiers. Warriors, whatever. We either do this now or we might not do it at all,” echoed Annie, her expression dulling as she thought about the grim reality that awaited them the next morning or, hells, even the moment they left this clearing. She shook her head franticlly, she didn’t want to think about that. For once, Annie Leonhardt wanted to allow herself to feel. She glared along the line of her leg at Armin. “So, are you coming over here or not?”

He shrugged, playing at indecision and Annie’s heart plunged for one soul-stopping moment before his hands caught her boot and began to slide it off. “If I want a passing grade, I suppose so, Commander Leonhardt.”

To Armin’s credit, his plan was to slowly, sensually move up Annie’s leg, unbuckling straps and slowly building the girl’s anticipation as he tried to remember the charts from Commander Shadis’s presentation and that long-ago book, but Annie always set the terms of her combat engagements and was no different in sex. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into her, arms and legs closing off all avenues of escape. Armin avoided smashing his head into the tree by the barest of margins and his little _whoof_ of surprise breathed right into Annie’s ear, which only spurred her on. She bucked her hips forward, grinding against him and was surprised to feel the very visible outlines of his erection underneath her as he let out a moan. She wanted to hear that moan again, wanted to make more noises like that spill forth from between those lips, but Armin was already bending down as her pants gave way beneath his ministrations. “Just want to make sure…” he trailed off as Annie lifted herself up to allow the cream-white pants to slide away from her along with the underwear tangled in them. She half-expected Armin to sit there and ogle her the way he had before, the way she’d taunted him, but she’d underestimated his enthusiasm.

He dove in like a man in a desert who’d seen an oasis, pressing kisses along the sensitive skin of her inner thighs and the far less erotic upper curve of her thighs, the brush of his lips against toned muscle making her giggle again. Neither of them really knew where this was going, but Armin was a quick study just as Annie had suspected and each quiet moan or surprised noise she made, he adapted to with tongue, lips, and eager eyes. Once, Armin tried nibbling along her edges with his teeth, which produced a sharp hiss of displeasure from her, followed by a slap to his head with more than a little force. Armin muttered an apology into Annie’s folds and to his credit, didn’t try using his teeth again. In other circumstances, perhaps, Annie might have enjoyed that, but not tonight, not with Armin. When everything else in her life, including herself, was harsh and unpleasant, she couldn’t bear it with Armin. For once, she just wanted someone to be soft and kind to her, to be understanding, to be somewhere she could forget about everything else except the feeling of his lips, fingers, tongue, and that wonderful building pressure-

Annie came with a small sharp cry as Armin pulled back, afraid he’d upset her again and also wary of the fluid that threatened to drown him. Annie whimpered and her hand reached down, tweaking and rubbing circles around her most sensitive spot, trying her best to prolong that moment of transcendental pleasure. Her partner was left hovering between her legs, hands gently tracing the bottom of her thighs as they shook in ecstasy.

Once her orgasm had subsided, Annie was left with a pleasant warm glow in between her legs and a simultaneous hunger for more, an aching desire to be full that thrilled as much as scared her. She looked down to see Armin wipe his chin with the back of his hand and gaze up at her with a tentative expression. “So, how’d I do?”

Annie’s lips quirked in a private smile just between them as her voice descended into something the Female Titan would’ve called coy. “I’d say you passed, Armin Arlert. But if you want to make the Top Ten, are you willing to go above and beyond the call of duty?” A foot tugged at the waistline of his pants to emphasize her point and Armin couldn’t lose his belt fast enough. As his zipper was halfway down though, he halted and locked eyes with Annie again, who was eyeing him with the hunger of her namesake on the savanna. “Are-are you sure you don’t want to think about this? All the possible problems Commander Shadis mentioned last week, not to mention-“

“Armin.” Her voice was flat, verging on displeased. “If you mention Commander Shadis during sex again I’m kicking you in the face. Be logical, have you slept with anyone before?”

Armin twiddled his fingers which were sticky with Annie’s dried sex. “N-No.”

“And neither have I, so all those diseases aren’t a problem.” Her gaze softened and one hand tapped her stomach meaningfully. “And pregnancy isn’t something my family had easily. It’s a private matter, so don’t pry.”

Her partner looked skeptical and kept moving his fingers. “I was just-“

“Trust me.” She couldn’t keep the plea out of her voice. “It’s ok, Armin. I want this, so let me have you.”

“If you’re sure…”

Annie rose onto her hands and knees and crawled forwards on top of Armin, feeling the renewed brush of sensitive skin against her arms, breasts, and stomach. “I’m not sure of a lot of things, but I’m sure about this.”

An experienced Titan Shifter like Annie could cycle poison out of her bloodstream by abusing her healing factor and she was pretty sure she could use the same method to be sure a pregnancy remained a distant possibility. Pieck had said something about how Zeke was against having children, so-

Annie shook her head, dispelling the thoughts of her mentors and superiors in far-away Marley. She needed, no, she wanted to stop thinking. That’s what tonight was all about. No thinking, just feeling. _Just for once,_ Annie begged herself, _let me be selfish._ One hand pulled Armin’s head up from the grass to kiss him with force, pouring all her passion and lust into the gesture as she ground against him, feeling him harden beneath her through the thin cloth of his pants. A tuft of pubic hair snagged on a stray button and she winced as the metal pulled at her, but Armin’s fingers were already there, gently disentangling her, shoving his pants down below his thighs before kicking them almost entirely off into the grass. 

She sat back onto his bare thighs, relishing the heat of his flesh against the cool night air and shivered as she saw goosebumps rise on her forearms as they traced their way down his chest to his dick.

The other girls had interrogated her mercilessly about her supposed trysts with Armin and had seemed equally divided if a larger dick was supposed to be better or not. Granted, this was the first one she’d seen so she didn’t have any comparisons to make. He was hard, which was good, and Annie ran her hand through his crotch because she knew it would make him laugh. She liked hearing him laugh and watching that laugh hitch when her fingers curled around him was even better. She rose up onto her knees and guided him back between her legs, his hands coming up to rest on her hips like it was the most natural thing in the world. She looked down at him imperiously, ready to take what was hers. “You ready?”

Armin chuckled again, but the cool fire was back in his eyes and he met her challenge. “Doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice Commander, but yES!”

His affirmation pitched up an octave as Annie shoved down with her considerable strength and her breath released in a _haaaah_ of pleasure. She hunched over, her body telling her to not move as it accommodated this new occupant while much older instincts screamed at her to move as much as possible, to ride Armin like a horse. She leaned closer and looked into his eyes when she began to move, first in a shifting motion, then semi-awkward bucking motions. As Armin picked up on the rhythm she was trying to generate, his hands moved in concert, plunging her down onto him as he moved up. Soon enough they were rolling forward and back, inexorable movement like the tides, in and out as any sense of decorum fell away. Annie shoved back from Armin’s chest and brought her hands to her nipples, rubbing the sensitive nubs for every last bit of pleasure she could get as muscles she hadn’t even known could move squeezed him inside of her. For his part, Armin looked up at the smooth, unblemished form of Annie’s body silhouetted against the moonlight and nearly came right then. But when he felt her inner walls begin to convulse around him, he started to change the direction of his thrusts just to hear the noises she made in response. Soon enough he found the right angle and Annie was letting out little involuntary cries of pure pleasure each time they rose to meet one another as Armin pressed just the right spot inside her.

The muscles Annie had spent the last eight years building threatened to betray her as another orgasm washed over her, but this time Armin didn’t stop. If anything, he intensified his thrusts, teeth bared as he went faster and faster. Annie had fought through worse muscle strain than this, so she forced her shaking legs to still and keep her upright as Armin wrenched first one, then two more orgasms out of her in quick succession before coming himself with a groan of release and exhaustion. Annie’s fogged mind had a brief surge of trepidation as she felt him twitch inside her and knew what it meant, but it was swiftly submerged by what felt like bone-deep satisfaction and the wonderful feeling of fullness that now threatened to tip into discomfort as her overstimulated nerves finally caught up with the rest of her.

Careful to move as little as possible, because Armin’s winces meant he too was sensitive, Annie laid down on top of him. Gradually she slid to the side as her shoulder hit the wonderfully cool grass and he twisted to accommodate her. For a while, the only noise in the clearing was the music of night insects and their heavy panting, which gradually subsided as the two teenagers came back to themselves and the Female Titan roused itself from slumber as she felt Annie’s heartbeat approach normal.

_Awww, post-coital bliss and cuddling, my favorite. Aren’t you two sweet?_

Of course, Armin spoke first. “So, was this okay?” He immediately mentally kicked himself but Annie’s tender expression as she looked at him smoothed over the awkwardness that both knew was coming. “This was nice, Armin,” she said as one hand absently tucked hair back behind her ear in what was such a habitual gesture she didn’t realize she’d done it until Armin muttered something. “What?”

“Your hair’s got some, uh, some of us in it now.” Annie glared at her rebellious hand which was indeed slick with sweat and less savory fluids and silently hoped the showers were unoccupied at this time of night. She looked down to where they were still joined at the crotch. Deciding this was as good a time as any, the female Titan Shifter experimentally flexed the muscles she’d felt writhing around Armin and was gratified to feel a contraction that prompted another squeak from Armin, followed by a sigh. “I guess we’ll both need to clean up then. Again, sorry.”

Annie rose to her knees then stood up in one decisive motion as they separated with an organic noise that reminded her of ejecting from her Titan. Still, the sensation wasn’t entirely unpleasant, as cool air brushed across her entrance and she felt something warm begin to slide down her leg. She put her hands on her hips and pretended like she didn’t feel as incredibly naked as she was. “Don’t apologize for a good time Armin.” She looked around for an article of her clothing she could use to clean it up without obvious stains, only to blink as Armin fished a white handkerchief out of his discarded jacket and offered it to her before taking one for himself. “Thanks.”

Armin nodded but froze as a thought visibly struck him. “W-wait, Annie!”

The teenage girl paused halfway up her thigh.

“I just remembered, there’s that little stream we passed over in training last week, maybe a quarter of a kilometer further in. It’s not ideal, but we could clean up there.”

Annie sniffed and conceded the point with what grace she had, which wasn’t much. “The smell might be a problem, yes. Besides, we need to talk.”

The Female Titan sighed. _That’s a sentence that only ever ends horribly, right. Annie, Annie, Annie, why do I get the feeling you’re about to ruin all our hard work?_

They both began collecting their clothes and moved off in the direction Armin had indicated as they went over the terms Annie had vaguely alluded to. First and most obvious was strict secrecy, which Armin agreed to with a smile, something he’d read about how a “gentleman never kisses and tells,” which prompted a well-deserved eyeroll from the other blonde. Annie, of course, wasn’t going to say anything to anyone in the first place and Armin respected and understood her desire for privacy. The second, and much harder stipulation to swallow was that their meetings at the training ground couldn’t continue. He questioned if Annie had just been using him and while she fobbed him off with the excuse that he was the boy in the 104th least likely to blab to the others about sleeping with Annie Leonhardt, both of them knew that wasn’t the whole truth. He said so, and the pair kept up a low-volume, but no less deeply felt argument about honesty the entire way to the stream and through their bathing.

Annie stepped out of the water and began brushing stray droplets off her arms and legs with perhaps more force than was necessary as she glared at an inoffensive tree rather than at Armin. “You’re really not going to let this go, are you?”

The other blonde sighed through his nose in exasperation and tugged on one of his boots. “I’m going to keep my mouth shut, Annie. But I think you’re making a mistake, and I’m not even the kind of person who thinks sex means ‘true love’! Why are you running away?”

She pulled on her underwear, then her pants in quick succession as she cast around for her bra. “Where-“ Armin held it out , forcing her to turn and meet his eyes. Blue met blue and Annie wasn’t sure what he saw in her gaze, if it was fear, hope, reluctant desire, attachment, or even self-loathing. She just saw pain, betrayal, and confusion in his eyes. A reminder that she was a traitor and a spy, so sooner or later she should get used to that sort of look. Even if it hurt to see it in his eyes, when he’d been so happy and content less than half an hour ago. The Titan Shifter clenched her teeth as she snatched her bra from his unresisting grasp. Damn him for not giving up on her like the rest had, damn her for letting stupid curiosity and momentary passion overcome reason. She had tried hiding from the world in his arms, for however brief a time, and the return of harsh reality just made it sting more. No, best to separate herself from, whatever this was now, before it became something she couldn’t compartmentalize or justify to herself as a harmless curiosity, or even a momentary lapse.

To continue from here meant Armin Arlert risked becoming a habit, or worse, a friend and confidante in the 104th. Annie couldn’t afford that. The Warriors couldn’t afford that. Her Father, waiting at home for her, couldn’t afford that. They only had a few months of training left anyway, and then the 104th would go their separate ways. Annie reiterated this last justification to a now fully clothed and still slightly damp Armin who had to visibly restrain himself from shouting.

“So what,” he hissed. “You’re saying that if you decided to join the Scouts with me or if I went into the MPs, you’d reconsider?”

The Female Titan patched together several half-formed arguments about how Armin could aid in the search for the Coordinate, but they vanished as Annie’s mind snapped shut with a resounding BANG and her gaze turned inwards. “What I’m saying is we should enjoy the memory of tonight while we have it and keep working towards our goals. Yours lie along a different path than mine and I’m not going to turn away now, when I’ve come this far.”

Unbeknownst to the human, Armin and the Female Titan both groaned in unison while the blonde threw up his hands. “You’re impossible Annie.”

_She really is. I thought getting laid would at least get her to come out of her shell, but the stupid girl is just shoving herself further inside because of a crippling fear of intimacy and self-loathing. Granted, we did help kill 250,000 Eldians before she hit puberty, but I’d hoped a thirteen-year ticking clock would work against that._

“Walls Armin, haven’t you ever done something selfish in your life? I thought you understood!”

“No, no I haven’t! I thought this meant something to you, that I-” Armin strode off back towards the training grounds and his bunk, trying to pretend he didn’t feel the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. Behind him, the Female Titan sounded every one of her two-thousand years of existence. _Just go Annie. Either speak with him now and be honest or go right back to thinking you’ll be alright on your own._

But Annie stayed in the clearing, one hand holding her arm in a helpless gesture as she wiped her nose on her sleeve. “You liar.”

Her Titan wasn’t sure if Annie’s comment was directed at Armin Arlert or herself. Maybe it didn’t matter.

The following weeks saw Armin withdraw back into his books and study materials and he notched up perfect scores on the next three theoretical exams and could even be found training on the 3DM gyroscopes with a determined glare to his features and a worried Mikasa hovering around him. He told everyone else that he was fine and the harsh tone to the normally friendly boy’s words meant most of the 104th left it at that. Even calculated efforts at hilarity by Sasha and Connie couldn’t break the black cloud of his mood and when Eren and Jean got into one of their usual fights, Armin unleashed a torrent of abuse at both parties that had even the Titan Wills cringing.

Their attention obviously flowed back towards the Female Titan who, after three days of stony silence, finally broke and told the rest of the Wills what had happened on the training ground and then in the forest. Jaw and Colossal made sympathetic noises at the appropriate points and admittedly the Female Titan’s mood did lighten when she described how teeth-achingly cute the two teenagers had been with one another, only for things to all apart in the afterglow.

The Attack Titan was silent, but its green eyes cast frequent looks down at the oblivious Eren Jaeger, who was sparring with Reiner Braun. The Guardian perked up as her cousin leaned over into the Armored’s personal space and realized she needed to do something to distract the Female Titan from whatever he was plotting. She flipped her hair and let out a long-suffering sigh before pointedly leaning on the Female Titan’s form. _Tell me about it. Mikasa’s been wanting to jump the Jaeger boy’s bones for months now, but the girl just won’t spit it out and no matter how many dreams I give her with some,_ she moved her hand in a vaguely masturbatory gesture, _instructions courtesy of my Paths, she hasn’t even broached the subject._

The Female Titan gave a wry smile and allowed the Guardian to start braiding her hair. _My sympathies, but that’s not exactly a new problem for Ackermans, one I blame the Founder for entirely. They’re either so focused on protection their sex drives get all tangled up in their duty or they throw all caution to the winds and there’s not a stick of furniture left in the castle that hasn’t either been used carnally or straight-up destroyed._

The Guardian manifested a silver bobby-pin to hold a few braids in place while her hands worked their magic. _I’m not sure things would work out if she acted like that either. Not only would Shadis likely chuck them out of the 104 th and I’d miss out on adding another few memories of glorious honorable Titan-slaying to the Paths, but the emotional whiplash would do interesting things to Mikasa’s personality, not to mention Eren’s._

 _Interesting in a fun way or a meltdown way?_ asked Jaw who was cradling her head in her hands.

 _And I’m going back to sleep_ , grumbled the Colossal as he muttered something that sounded distinctly like _flesh-obsessed Wills._ None of them noticed the Armored and Attack Titans share a fistbump before vanishing into their hosts.

With very little prodding from his Titan, Reiner Braun was soon well into a discussion of how soldiers needed to be ready for anything, a decision the Armored Titan quickly came to regret as Reiner’s psyche, which had formerly been stable in a “Soldier” perspective as a soldier of the Walls, began to flicker like a guttering candle between “Soldier” and “Warrior”. _Holy shit!_ The Titan will dug his armored fingers into a large fragment of consciousness and rode out the psychic turmoil.

His brother partially emerged from Eren surrounded by green fire. _Brother! What did you do?_

_Ignore me, I can manage this, now go follow your own plan and I’ll follow my part!_

Obligingly, the Armored Titan directed Reiner and Eren’s attention to Annie Leonhardt, who had finished demolishing her poor opponent and was stalking away towards the benches, a mask of disinterest on her face. “See, someone ought to give that slacker a talking-too, Eren. A little hard-knocks lesson in preparedness.”

The Armored Titan grinned behind its plates, because Reiner had also caught on to what his subconscious Titan had planned and thought an even marginally cheerier Annie was well worth the risk he was about to take. “Commander not riding you hard enough eh? Keep it up and you’ll be as beaten down as this dirt.” He scuffed his boot on the training ground and missed the thunderous look on Annie’s expression as the Female Titan’s head whipped around, to a shout of dismay from the Guardian.

_Brother what in the Paths is your Shifter saying to mine?”_

_Give it a minute,_ strained the Armored Titan while his brother watched with no small amount of glee. Of course, Reiner’s Soldier persona took that moment to override the far more self-aware Warrior and said just about the worst thing possible. “I suggest you think back to why you enlisted in the first place.”

_Okay, new plan!_

Reiner took advantage of the instant it took Annie to catalogue the 275 ways she could reduce him to a pulp and took the advice of a Titan with 1995 years of tactical experience. He hid behind Eren, who was still armed with the wooden knife. “Okay, I riled her up for you, now go get her!”

“Hey wait-“

Annie settled into her stance while above them, the invisible Titan Wills began betting frantically.

_One Ackerman memory of your choice on Jaeger, I saw him take down two grown men with a knife!_

_Please, Guardian,_ huffed the Colossal with disdain, _Leonhardt was trained by one of the refugee masters of Yoddanah Yawe as a meal ticket, both of those boys are going down. I bet two memories._

 _You mean the so-called Grand Master who lost to Krelv Ackerman in that 1122 sparring exhibition after all that talk about grabbing a fly with chopsticks? Please_.

The Attack Titan cocked his head and analyzed the diminutive girl’s stance. It did seem familiar, but with Eren’s natural ferocity matched with his own, surely the girl stood no chance. _I’ll match you brother, two memories say Eren wins._

They all looked at the Armored Titan who held up his hands in the universal gesture for surrender. _I’m not betting anything, I’m staying out of this._

 _Oh no you don’t_ hissed the Attack Titan. _You’re going into this meat grinder right next to me_!

Eren bent forward with the knife in his hands. “Well I’m not going easier on you because you’re a girl. Alright, here I come!”

The Guardian gave her green-eyed cousin the side-eye instants before a grinning Female Titan watched as her Shifter fractured Eren’s shinbone, followed shortly by dumping Eren on his back in a position that absolutely should have broken his spine if she’d put any more force into it. Even with Shifter healing, the Jaeger boy was going to be sore in the morning as Annie tossed the knife to a surprised Reiner.

“Whatever, are we done here? Or are you finally ready to take me on yourself?”

 _Come on brother,_ wheezed the Attack Titan through its strained laughter. _Didn’t you say you were the most durable of us? Take your punishment like a soldier._

_Not exactly what I-_

_“Don’t you dare!”_ Eren and the Attack Titan’s voices spoke as one and the contained rage in Eren’s eyes was one hundred percent that of his Titan. “You volunteered, so go get her!”

To his credit, the Braun boy stared down his demise with courage before acquiescing to the inevitable. “ _Well, a soldier can’t really afford to back down either.”_

CRUNCH

The second time around, Annie really did break Reiner’s back. Well, more like fractured two vertebrae, but her point was made. As Eren and Annie continued to spar, the Armored Titan looked over at his green-eyed brother and gave a discreet thumbs-up as their sister fell back into the routine of cheers and excited retelling of their Shifter’s stories. For someone who was so often a mindless berserker, the Attack Titan could be quite devious when it suited them.

The Attack Titan’s campaign to cheer their sister up through Shifter violence only became blatantly obvious the following week. Eren’s easy adoption of Annie’s form could feasibly be put down to his quick uptake on matters related to violence in general, but when he actually begged to train with Annie, the Female Titan cast a skeptical eye at her brother. _Alright, what is this about?_

The Attack Titan lay back in the grass as trainees stumbled through them. _My Shifter’s an idiot, yours isn’t. He wants to learn, and she happens to be the best one to teach him. Something even a simpleton like Eren could figure out._ _And look at her!_ One massive finger pointed as Annie made a show of hiding behind her wooden rifle and Armin looked in their direction with an expression that looked like he’d smelled curdled milk. _You’re inside her head so tell me if my Shifter’s getting used as the rebound just to piss off Arlert!_

“Besides, you’re a guy. Aren’t you supposed to be gentle with this frail body of mine?”

Eren’s snort mirrored the Attack Titan’s expression of disappointment. “ _Your jokes aren’t funny at all_.” _How about a trade then Sister? You answer my question and I’ll answer yours._

 _Suddenly everyone’s so mercenary,_ muttered the Female Titan. _It’s like we didn’t leave Cart on the mainland to be miserable and long-faced. But fine, I’ll bite, give me a moment._

She dove back into Annie’s head as she and Eren continued what had become a running discussion intermingling combat pointers with social philosophy discussions. As academic debates and combat breakdowns went, the former didn’t come close to Armin and Annie’s heated discussions while the combat focus was slowed because Annie had to continually screen her language to make sure she didn’t let any vital information slip. Such as the time she’d almost taught Eren the Eagle Claw’s Eye-Snatching Technique until she remembered that for all his ferocity, the boy wasn’t a Titan Shifter and would lose the eye permanently. And speaking of ripping things away…She looked back at where she had felt accusing eyes on her, but Armin had turned away and was sparring with Milius Zeremuski with renewed fervor.

Annie twisted into a chokehold around Eren’s neck and brought him to the ground as their legs tangled, but in her mind’s eye the boy beneath her who was slowly turning purple wasn’t Eren Jaeger but someone else entirely.

The Female Titan sighed and drifted across to her brother. _Alright, you win. She’s totally doing this to mess with Arlert and also, I think, to punish herself for opening up in the first place. First she got tired of hiding behind silence, then she tried to hide herself in sex, and when that didn’t work, she’s fallen back on her old strategy of hiding behind immense violence. Sound familiar, Attack Titan?_

_Perhaps_ , admitted her brother, who had folded up into a sitting position as they watched the grappling session. _Granted, it’s not like our relationships were ever healthy, considering how we’re not human._

The Female Titan put her hand on his knee and dug her claws in slightly, which caused her brother to devote his full attention to her. _I’ve always been grateful for your company and kindness brother, and there’s been plenty of Beaumonts and Krugers between us who’ve fallen into the same grooves of our relationship, but things have changed. Permanently, I think._

 _Nothing is ever permanent,_ said the Attack Titan with bone-deep determination.

 _INCOMING_ bellowed Armored as his host went airborne. His siblings watched with mild interest as Annie, alerted by her Titan, disengaged from Eren and hopped away, only for the weight of a small ox to land on Eren. Heads swiveled to see Mikasa Ackerman stalking forward, while her Guardian floated above her with a gleeful bloodlust. _At long last, the fight I’ve been waiting for…_

 _Cousin, is this your doing?_ asked the Attack Titan as Eren picked himself up, leaning on Reiner’s mountainous form. The Guardian shook her head. _Nah, this is all her, girl’s sexually frustrated and since your Leonhardt is making an ill-advised move on Jager here, I can’t really stop her._

 _Oh, now who’s being overprotective and getting too involved?_ muttered Jaw as trainees began to bet and Mikasa spoke. “Say Annie, that’s a pretty interesting technique. Let’s see if it will work on me.”

“Well, this technique is designed to be used on humans, I don’t think it will be of much use to a monster like yourself,” The Titans and a significant number of the mortals winced as Annie settled into her stance.

 _That’s it Mikasa!_ shouted the Guardian as her hair flared with the force of generations of offended Ackerman pride. _Tear that bitch apart_!

As the rest of the 104thlooked on in a mixture of awe and horror, two of the best combat specialists on Paradis channeled their frustrations, sexual and self-loathing, into pummeling one another bloody. Two weeks until graduation was plenty of time to heal, after all.

“Man, would’ja look at that view!”

Connie put his hands on his hips and gazed out from the top of Wall Rose as a few other members of the 104th worked on cleaning the cannons.

 _I would enjoy it more if we weren’t standing on the slumbering bodies of my bretheren,_ grumbled Bertholdt’s Colossal from three cannons over. The Attack Titan yawned as Eren and Connie started talking about the Scouts again. _Did we ever come to a consensus on how the Wall Titans were related to us, if at all?_

 _No, you were sidetracked by ranting about Karl Fritz’s abomination of a Will,_ said his brother. _Again._

 _He’s just so creepy!_ The Attack Titan made strangling motions no one could see. _Just look at all that land, a whole island to retake and he’s focused on letting Paradis get squeezed more and more until all Eldians just choke out and die._

 _You need to learn to relax,_ admonished the Colossal. _The Warriors are set to become MP’s and we’ll be comfortably out of your hair until they realize their Founding Titan is in another castle. Just enjoy the breeze._

Below them, Sasha had revealed a large stash of contraband meat, to the astonishment f the trainees and an admiring Attack Titan. _That one’s got the hunger of one of the Mindless, I swear._

 _It is rather odd, but-_ The Colossal Titan’s sonorous voice cut off as Bertholdt simply stepped off the edge of the wall. His brother was instantly aware, but any alarm he sent to Eren was drowned out by the boy’s fear of punishment at Sasha’s theft. The Attack Titan cursed in a language that was old when the Walls were young. _Eren Jaeger, you daft fool, quit cloudgazing and grab your guts, we’ve got incoming!_

 _Unfortunately, I must concur,_ came the faint voice of the Colossal Titan, directly behind them. The Attack Titan crossed his invisible fingers. _Please tell me that wind-up warrior isn’t going to flash-burn us to cinders._

 _Believe me,_ grunted his brother as Bertholdt drew a blade and stabbed it into his thigh, _I am making him feel as guilty as possible._

Lightning flashed and in an instant fifty-two meters of flesh and steam sprang into existence. As Eren stared in shock, his Titan simply growled. _We're going to be so tired of fighting our family when this is over._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, there are some bits in this chapter I'm not 100% on, but I've already dawdled on this chapter enough and it's plenty long as it is. Ymir and Krista/Historia can be assumed to have found a quiet place of their own for Fun Times, and for the moment, Mikasa is eternally blue-balled. As it turns out, writing about sex is way tougher than having it, but hopefully I've managed to balance the realism and the sweet parts with the unadulterated horny parts. Let me know what works and what doesn't, otherwise I can't improve as a writer!
> 
> Now we're finally, finally at the Battle of Trost, which is going to be fun for everyone involved.  
> Fun sex facts I learned doing research: Sheepsgut was common and preferred over linen and ribbon condoms until the Industrial Revolution, which created the modern condom with vulcanized rubber.  
> The Romans used olive oil as lubricant pretty frequently, but it is not recommended today. Similarly, condom usage back then wasn't to prevent pregnancy, but to avoid STDs. Rome had a natural contraceptive plant they used so much they wiped it out of existence. Selfish, Romans.


	14. The Battle of Trost, Part 1: Natural State

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Colossal Titan breaks the Wall and the Five Titan Wills attempt to help their Shifters survive the hell they have unleashed upon themselves. The Guardian gets a little too big for her britches and Hobo Eren is a bystander to family squabbles.

In comparison to flash-frying the 104th trainees alive or squashing them with his hands, Bertholdt was merciful to his companions. High-pressure steam blasted dozens of teenagers off the wall, sending them tumbling backwards down a sheer drop as Bertholdt dug in and kicked. Compared to the righteous justice that had fueled the destruction of Wall Maria’s gate years prior, this was nothing. Shards of stone and Titan-crystal the size of houses did not rain down across Trost, the blast wave did not send civilians flying from their feet. With a start,the Colossal Titan realized that Bertholdt was more vulnerable to the waves of guilt the Titan had been sending his Shifter than suspected.

 _He’s guilty!_ called the Colossal across the wall to his brother. _He wants you to escape, so he’s doing the bare minimum to follow those Marleyan’s orders_! _You won’t get a better shot!_

The Attack Titan silently roared his thanks, but Eren’s head whipped sideways as a body fell past them, limp and unresponsive. “Oi, Samuel!” called Connie, but a blur of movement to Eren’s right was faster than either of them. The Attack Titan raised an eyebrow as Sasha Braus flipped forwards and ran straight down the wall, meat-propelled muscles gaining distance with every stride. The ground raced closer and closer until her grappling hook fired with the pinpoint precision of an expert archer.

 _Good shot Braus!_ cheered the Attack Titan as Samuel Sterling dangled from Sasha’s line. _Right in the meat of the thigh_!

“Cannon Maintenance Squad 34!” bellowed Eren, blood surging as he launched up the wall. “Form up on me and prepare to engage the Colossal Titan!”

He soon dove off Wall Rose as the Colossal’s arm came up in a painfully slow sweep, shattering stone and sending thick cannon barrels tumbling like matchsticks. Both Titans winced as a hapless trainee was pulped by a mass of metal, but Eren was focused on the debris itself.

_He went for the cannons! That means the gate wasn’t an accident, this Titan…is intelligent!_

The Attack Titan chuckled in bitter mirth. _An intelligent Titan, ohh they’re so far behind it’s almost funny. Tall and Terrifying here can do calculus in his head, so intelligent is an understatement. Damn you Karl Fritz!_

The two Titan wills watched as Eren blasted around steaming piles of muscle, ignoring gas consumption in favor of speed. Faster. Faster! He had to get to the neck…

 _So, what do you think Brother?_ asked the Attack Titan while Bertholdt swatted ineffectually at the speeding human gnat along his arm. _This 3DMG, faster than Cart and Jaw?_

 _Certainly more agile_ , mused the Colossal Will. _But just like me, they seem to have a problem with lasting battles._

The Attack Titan grinned from inside Eren. _We’ll finish this quickly then, for both our sakes. Go for the neck, Eren!_

The boy’s hand s tightened on their triggers and Eren roared in ignorant imitation of his Titan as the grapple system hauled him in by his torso toward the Colossal’s vulnerable nape, the Colossal held his breath, torn between a duty to his Shifter and the desire to see the madness stop. But Bertholdt was done indulging his comrade’s anger and blasted him away with a torrent of superheated steam. The brief exchange had confirmed that 3DMG did indeed pose a threat to him, the slowest and most unwieldy Titan Shifter, but, his work was done. The outer gate and most of its cannons were destroyed. The Colossal’s form dissipated into thin air as Bertholdt looked up from the shadow of the gate with regret at where he knew Eren would be. He could even picture the stupefied look on that green-eyed face as he fell. “Sorry, Eren,” he muttered. “I had to do it.”

 _That’s what Shifters have said for two thousand years,_ grumbled the Colossal Titan, knowing Bertholdt couldn’t hear him. _Take some responsibility, child. You simply value the your life in Marley more than what you’ve been unwilling to experience here. True friendship, without the spectres of hatred and fear dogging your every step. You poor fool._

He could hear the Attack Titan’s rueful cursing above them and silently thanked YMIR that the Guardian had remained uncorrupted by his siblings. For all their arguments, the Attack and Armored Titans shared a tendency to be absolutely foul-mouthed. After that, the 104th was thrown into a whirlwind of preparation and the Colossal Titan and his Shifter were simply too busy to brood on how many thousands they had condemned this time.

The Attack Titan rolled his eyes through the perfunctory debriefing Eren, Connie, Mina, and the others were subjected to. Yes the Colossal Titan was there, yes it disappeared after destroying the gate, yes it could emit hot steam as a defense mechanism, and yes, it had destroyed the wall emplacements. _And yes, humans, with the gate a gaping wound, you’ve got to find a way to close it fast. A little brick and mortar won’t cut it._

For the first time, the Attack Titan regretted its decision to keep the knowledge of his Titan form from Eren Jaeger. If he’d known, if he had the pride appropriate for the Last Free Titan, they could have transformed and turned the gate into a bottleneck, just like the pass at Gerenhold. Granted, that hadn’t worked out for Jaw well then, and their transformation now, would certainly prompt a response from the Marleyan Warriors, so perhaps the point was moot. He cautiously broached the subject in the courtyard of the supply depot, while the trainees were being yelled at by a bearded Sergeant who looked like he hadn’t slept in a week and was also just as visibly terrified as everyone else.

 _Just putting this out there,_ mused the Attack Titan, _considering we’re going to be launched into a meatgrinder. If I bolted out to, say, save our collective Eldian asses, how would your hosts react?_

The Armored Titan paused in his disassembling of the battleplan to snort fire. _Likely gawp in shock, just like with Marcel, but the discovery of an unidentified Titan would certainly throw them for a loop._

 _I agree,_ said the Female Titan from deeper within the ranks _. They’d want to identify you as the Attack or Founding Titan first, but they would try to capture you as unobtrusively as possible._ Armored nodded his massive head. _This would be Jaeger’s first transformation, right?_

His brother sighed. _Worried I’ll use the extra latitude to punch you brother? Rest assured, my anger will have more pressing targets than your indestructible face._

 _It had crossed my mind,_ admitted the Armored. _Uggh, can you believe this?_ He jerked his head at the screaming man. _An entire battle plan based on maximizing the survival of those in command, hiding back with the civilians. I can scarcely imagine a more blatantly servile execution._

 _There is some merit,_ mused the Guardian as she tied her hair back with a silver bangle. _Maximizing efficient civilian evacuation allows for the military to then fight unencumbered, and the spires of Trost give 3DMG a significant advantage._ She grinned, cheery and with more than a hintof bloodlust peeking out from behind her normally proper exterior. _At long last, a glorious battle against a worthy foe_!

 _What, I don’t count?_ said the Female Titan, pursing her lips in a pretend pout that had the rest of the Wills roll their eyes.

 _Okay, first, your Shifter didn’t even transform, and second, Shadis broke up the fight before we’d finished feeling each other out, so I’m withholding judgement,_ said the Guardian with a toss of her hair.

They all paused as the distant sound of cannon fire, barely audible over the clamor of town bells, suddenly slackened, then died off entirely.

 _And that’s the Garrison gone,_ mused Jaw, grinding her teeth. _Shifter check-in, sound off. Ymir’s with Squad 27, with Krista of course, and she’ll be worrying her pretty little head off keeping them safe. We’ll try to steer clear of combat, skirt the edges doing message relay._

 _Bertholdt and Reiner are both on Squad 14, Titan combat, of course,_ said Armored. _Braun’s in Soldier-mode right now, so my transformation’s going to be delayed until Bertholdt brings him back around_.

 _Thank Mother,_ sighed the Attack Titan privately to Jaw. _You and I have a shot at salvaging this mess._

Jaw chattered her teeth in nervous laughter. _Ymir’s wound tighter than a bowstring right now, my suggestions won’t go anywhere unless Krista’s in danger. You might just be on your own, sorry._

Meanwhile, the Female Titan was speaking. _-so she’ll ditch her squad and come find you both at the earliest possible point. Well, either you two or Armin Arlert, it’s tough to tell, she could go any way._

The Attack Titan sighed, remembering the poisonous looks Arlert had been shooting Leonhardt in that last training bout. _Make sure she doesn’t have any regrets, sister. Actually, that’s mandatory for all of you._

His cousin huffed, as did Armored and Female. _Since when do you give the orders?_

_I don’t, little Guardian, that was advice. Considering Eren’s likely going to lead his squad right into the thick of the fighting._

All the Titan Wills groaned. _Well,_ mused Colossal, _at least they’re consistent._

__________________________________________________________________

After the Garrison sergeant informed the Cadets that the Advance Squads had been wiped out, and reminded them that desertion was a hanging offense, they were dismissed. Armored loomed in a corner and complained about how that was a horrible way to motivate troops and recited several of Aramand Fedor’s speeches in a vain attempt to raise morale. Not that anyone listened to him. The Colossal was needling Bertholdt’s guilt at every opportunity, milking Jean Kirstein’s whining for all it was worth. Annie and Ymir had disappeared along with their Titans. Even the Guardian, who normally would have lapped up such a story, had all her energy focused on Mikasa and Eren’s disagreement.

“Look, if things get bad, I want you to come find me, okay?”

Eren scoffed while his Titan nodded empathetically. “That’s insane, we’re in completely different squads!”

Mikasa and the Guardian spoke as one. “This is going to get ugly and when it does, plans mean nothing. Come find us and I’ll protect you.”

Pride wounded, Eren bristled. “Who the hell did you think also made the Top Ten? I can take care of myself!”

 _It’s not a bad idea,_ advised his Titan, vainly trying to make a stubborn teenager see reason. _The less likely I have to expose us, the better. Oh wait, you wouldn’t know that because once again, I let my heart overrule my head and hid those memories of devouring Grisha. Don’t even have the excuse of his paternal instincts, really._

The Guardian twined her fingers through the Attack Titan’s long strands. _Well, over the years we’ve developed our own, haven’t we? Taking care of these kids?_

Whatever the Attack Titan was going to say was interrupted by a Garrison officer. “Ackerman, you’ve been assigned to the rear guard, keep moving!”

All four heads jerked across and said “WHAT” at the same time. Mikasa rallied first. “Sir, with all due respect I would just slow down-“

Eren charged forwards and headbutted Mikasa, causing the Guardian to squawk in outrage and the Attack Titan to bellow an Eldian curse. ”Hey! You’ve been given a direct order! Pull it together. We’re on the brink of extinction here, get some damned perspective!”

Mikasa cradled her head in pain, and the Guardian allowed a small smile to cross her lips. _Well, he’s got a point Mikasa. Battles are unpredictable things, and my Cousin here doesn’t want us to have any regrets. Wasn’t there anything you wanted to do, hmmm?_

Mikasa’s fingers brushed her scarf before reaching up and pulling a startled Eren down into a sudden, but passionate kiss. The two Wills exchanged an invisible high five above them as the Guardian cheered. _That’ll give him something to come back for!_

Her Ackerman drew back, blushing nearly as crimson as her scarf, and any angry objections Eren had shattered like the gate of Wall Rose, his jaw working without sound. She took his hand in her own, eyes a mix between longing and the hard steel of the Ackerman clan. “Just promise me one thing?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Don’t get yourself killed.” The moment hung between them, both thinking of that reckless, screaming 8-year old who attacked grown men with a knife and a broom handle. The kiss lingered on Eren’s lips and robbed him of any meaningful reply. A slight nod was all Mikasa got as he jerked his hand out of hers and moved away with something that could’ve been a nod. “Thanks.”

The Attack Titan cast a regretful look back at the Guardian and gave a thumbs-up as Mikasa was led away by the Garrison officer, the storm of emotions roiling inside her. It wasn’t a rejection, but it wasn’t the full, passionate kiss, she’d hoped for. Either way, Eren knew how she felt now. She would just have to hope he survived the battle.

 _We won’t die,_ promised the Attack Titan, dust-borne hands curling into fists, _not here, behind these walls. Not with Mother still trapped in the Paths. Not with our work undone._

Ten minutes later found Squad 34 standing on one of the clay rooftops of Trost. Armin Arlert, Thomas Wagner, and Mina Carolina stood behind Eren as the Attack Titan ran the bare essentials of the last three years of Titan-killing lessons through his mind. The Titan knew far more, of course, including the precise rate of tissue regeneration compared to the severity of a wound. But, once again, the Attack Titan was barred from those memories by its own decisions, no matter how good they’d seemed at the time. _Krugers or Jaegers?_ he mused. _If I’d had Kruger father Dinah’s child, as repulsive as the thought is, would we be in a worse position?_ The invisible Will shook his shaggy head to dispel such dark thoughts, echoing Eren’s words to Armin less than an hour before. _Now’s not the time to look to the past. No, my Shifter had it right. Focus on the present, and fight for the future._ He tuned in to reality to hear the fresh graduates hiding their trepidation through boasts. Eren was exhorting his comrades. “If we prove our worth now, we could rise through the ranks, lead our own regiments! No more rookie status!”

He tapped his blade handle on Armin’s shoulder and the blonde boy smiled back at him as the memory brought back visions of their own.

_Annie dragging him back into the shadowed depths of the supply halls, her grip tight on his shoulders. His expression stony, until she buried her head in his shoulder and breathed deeply. The hair on the back of his neck rose and Armin found himself pushing back, just enough to try and get a look at her face. The torchlight was playing tricks on him, it had to be, because for a moment, she looked just as lost and afraid as he felt._

_“I was shitty to you before,” she said. “I’m sorry. For that and-“ she took a breath. “A lot of things. I just wanted to-“_

_Now it was Armin’s turn to put his hand on her lips, stopping her sentence cold, though his fingers were warm. “I understand,” he said. “This is what you were afraid of. Well, I’m not going to make any promises, like you said. I’m not strong like Reiner, Mikasa, or you. Walls, I haven’t talked to you in the last two weeks, right? So, no need to worry, I’m just as bad a person as you.”_

_Annie shook her head violently. “That’s not-“ she sighed, breathing hot air onto his fingers and took his hand between her own, rubbing small circles on the pad of his hand where the calluses receded. “You’re infuriating sometimes, Arlert.”_

_“You too.”_

_They’d left it at that, because the hubbub was dying down and they’d be noticed. Still, Armin’s shoulders felt a bit lighter. They both had more to say to one another, true, but they’d said enough to know where they stood._

Even though Armin knew the odds of his survival, (odds the Attack Titan was attempting to calculate by counting on invisible fingers), he still met Eren’s brash optimism with his own. “Yeah, sounds good! I’m with you all the way.”

 _To the very edge of the sea_ , said the Attack Titan, green eyes on the landscape of buildings.

A Garrison soldier waved them forward, ”Squad 34, move out! The Garrison needs support!”

Eren nodded and raised a blade. “Alright, let’s go!”

They charged with a warcry from painfully young throats, echoed by the Attack Titan, caught up in the spirit of the moment.

 _I’ll admit,_ said the Attack Titan to an ignorant Eren, _this gear is something. Not as tactile as our own two feet,but it feels wonderful to fly like- LOOK OUT!_

His alarm bypassed Eren’s conscious mind and his fingers pulled on the brakes of his gear as a lanky Abnormal leapt at them from half a block away. Next to them, Armin turned, yanking on Eren’s jacket to pull him away from the center of the formation. Eren’s arm shot out, guided by instinct and his knees cracked the second-story window he otherwise would have gone right through. _Mother’s blood, that was close,_ hissed the Titan. _Figures the first one we encounter is an Aberrant that jumps like Jaw. Just our luck._

They looked back to see Thomas Wagner sputter out a “Help-” before the Titan swallowed, sending a writhing bulge down its throat.

 _Ah, shit,_ said the Attack Titan. _Alright, now let’s focus that rage and-_

“You bastard!” screamed Eren as he launched away from the wall, deaf to his friend’s pleas. “You’re going to pay for killing my friend! You’re not getting away!”

The Attack Titan was suddenly reminded of why it had spent the last hundred years choosing cautious hosts as Eren accelerated, flinging himself around a tower at twice the speed they had used in training and skidding along the mercifully empty streets. Realizing Eren wasn’t going to stop, its green eyes scanned the rooftops for any other Titans. But Eren had eyes for only one.

Thus, they both missed the short, crouching Aberrant who breached the roofline to bite Eren’s leg off at the knee.

_Mother-FUCKER!_

Eren tumbled like a ragdoll, his momentum playing out in a stain of blood and shattered roof tiles while the Attack Titan scrambled to begin repairing damage. _Ignore the headwound, the shards embedded in his face, c’mon kid, where’d all that anger go? Think angry thoughts!_

But Eren’s head was fuzzy, his perception of the world reduced to a few meters of clay tile, his mind rattled at the interruption of his vengeance. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go…

_Great, a concussion_ , said his Titan, though its tone of voice made clear it was anything but great. _At least you’re too out of it to watch your friends get eaten._

The Attack Titan watched as Squad 34 was swatted out of the sky, slammed into buildings, or, in Armin’s case, collapsed to his knees as the horror of the situation struck him. _Hey Arlert,_ called the Attack Titan in desperation as booming footsteps came closer, _get over here and drag your best friend into a house or something! I can fix this!_

A massive bearded Titan, grinning with idiocy stumbled onto the street and Eren’s Titan Will shook his head. _Grisha’s Restorationists are fucking us over even as Titans. Figures. Alright, present motivation isn’t working,_ he said as the Titan dived back into Eren’s memories, _let’s try the past!_

Armin’s scream echoed around the roof as their first meeting was shoved into Eren’s mind. Stories of mountains and snow, salty seas and lava plains, the beauty of the outside world and the excitement in a young boy’s eyes. _Get up Eren,_ cheered the Attack Titan, fists billowing ethereal green fire, _Save him!_

His right side felt like it was on fire, but Eren moved faster than he ever had in his life and jumped, letting his gas carry him the distance. His blade pried a gap between two molars and his left leg slammed down on the lower jaw, muscles built over three years of training straining to keep the Titan’s mouth open. His hand grabbed Armin’s jacket and hauled him out onto the roof with a roar that had cobbles shatter under the force of the throw. All Titan Shifters had strength a bit beyond the average mortals and right now, both Titan and Shifter were using every iota of it to keep those jaws away from them.

 _We’re gonna have to jump Eren,_ said the Attack Titan, trying not to panic. _We can afford to lose another limb, just get your torso out first, I can feel us weakening._

“Armin, I told you,” panted the brunette. “We’re going to the outside world.” He reached out. “Those things you told me about, I have to see them, I have to!”

 _Now’s not the time for speeches!_ howled his Titan, absolutely panicking.

“Eren, hurry!”

His left arm spasmed and that was all the weakness he could afford. Strained muscles collapsed against his will and the teeth of the Titanized Restorationist sent Eren’s left arm spiraling away in a spurt of blood. It was simply one pain too many and Eren lost consciousness.

The Attack Titan couldn’t do much while its host was out, but he at least kept up the subtle motions that kept Eren floating face-up in the blood and acid of a Titan stomach. Even by his standards, using the bottom half of Trainee Franz as a raft for half an hour was grim. Fortunately, something about the rancid smell trickled into Eren’s nostrils, because he woke up and understandably started screaming and thrashing in the blood at the same time.

 _Sorry Eren,_ soothed his Titan as more gore-based trauma poured into an adolescent brain, _think about your friends, about graduation, just think about anything else while I work on-_

“Mom?” gasped a delirious trainee a few yards away. She’d been treading water for an hour now and the heat and acid was finally causing her body to give out. “It’s so hot Mom…I’m so tired…”

Eren’s tear-filled green eyes focused on the head as it slipped below the surface with barely a ripple. _Mom…_

The Attack Titan occupied his Shifter with a happy memory of long-lost hide-and-seek with Carla Jaeger and dove deep into Eren’s soul. Glimmering golden light led it to the Founder, who stirred as the green fire of the Attack Titan approached. _Oh? What do you want?_

The Attack Titan ran a hand through his hair. _Look, we’re fucked six ways from Sunday up here. My Shifter’s down two limbs and fifteen minutes away from exhausting himself and drowning in a Titan’s stomach._ He took a deep breath he didn’t need and hated the words that came out of his skull-shaped mouth. _We need your help._

The Founding Titan gestured at the golden chains that bound it still. _I can do nothing, as you see. Unless you have discovered a way to shatter the Vow of King Fritz?_ The Founder’s hopeful look deflated when his brother shook his head. _Surely there is something you can do!_

The Founder looked around surreptitiously and held out its hand. _I’ll be punished for this. Fritz will be merciless._

His brother shrugged. _I know. But we’ve beaten him before._ The Titan Wills clasped hands as a single golden spark passed between them, followed by an explosion of golden chains that sought to wrap around the Attack Titan, chasing for the speck of power that had slipped from their grasp. The Founding Titan battered them away, even as the chains dragged him to his knees and the King began to materialize, face contorted in fury. _Just go!_

The green-eyed Titan nodded once and raced upwards, gold chains lapping at the edges of his essence.

Eren’s conscious mind locked around the word, the person, the concept. “Mom…” he croaked. _How did it come to this?_

 _I know how…_ growled his Titan.

_Why has everything been taken from us?_

_The greed and squabbling of lesser men._

_Our lives?_

_Dinah’s Aberrant grin as Carla’s broken body came apart in her teeth._

_Our dreams?_

_Armin’s heartbroken expression as the jaws closed around Eren._

_Everything…_

_A little girl, alone in a desert, forever._

Eren spoke alongside his Titan, the distance between them gone. “Damn them. Damn you all to hell!” They pointed a bloody stump up, cursing the world. “We refuse to die like this! Do you hear me Mother? I’ll kill them all, every last one! With my bare hands!”

Somewhere, YMIR smiled.

The spark cradled within their soul ignited as flesh flowed like water, forming the body of the Attack Titan, rebuilding limbs in defiance of normal Titan healing. The Founder’s gift was enough. The Restorationist Titan staggered and collapsed as one of the Nine exploded out of it, baptizing his rebirth in blood and his signature roar. _That felt good,_ thought the Attack Titan with relish as it once more breathed real air. _Not so much you,_ it added as it ground a heel into the comatose Restorationist’s nape, shattering whatever remained there. Green eyes saw Armin, still kneeling on the roof, but motionless and barely breathing.

 _Shock kept you alive, Arlert,_ mused the Attack Titan. _The Mindless must’ve thought you a corpse, then_. An approaching Titan crawled forward, drawn by the presence of one of the Nine it could eat to regain its sanity and form.

 _You don’t belong here,_ thought the Attack Titan and Eren. Their first Shift, their minds so closely entwined, the distinction between Titan and Shifter did not matter. _I’ll kill every last one of you._

The Titan charged and Eren impaled it on his hand, crushing the spine in his grip. He dropped the corpse and stomped on it as the Attack Titan’s berserker rage cascaded over them both. _More. More! I’ll kill you all!_

Eren subsided into slumber as the Attack Titan moved off through the canyons of Trost, clouds gathering overhead. _That’s why Mother gave me life,_ thought the Will. _What my purpose truly is. To unleash her anger upon this cruel world._

____________________________________________________________

On the other side of the city, the Guardian heard her cousin’s echo and paused, drawing Mikasa’s attention from the traffic of refugees. Both had been preoccupied, Mikasa with her memories of Eren, and the Guardian with her own frustration at not being able to participate in the fighting. (She was not _sulking_ , Guardians did not sulk.)

“Ackerman, c’mon,” called her superior, “We’ve got an Aberrant moving up Hoghlin Street, heading towards the gate!”

The Guardian squealed while Mikasa remained detached. _Finally some action!_

Soon enough their gas took them to the scene while the useless humans tried to catch up to the speedy Titan. Mikasa and the Guardian rolled their eyes as one before accelerating to a speed normal human reflexes wouldn’t be able to handle. Mikasa swung with both hands as the blades bit deep and she backflipped off as the Titan corpse slid to a stop mere meters from the feet of the refugees. The Guardian curtsied in what had been the style of the High Court, eighty years ago. _Thank you, thank you, my Ackerman is incredible, we deserve no less than command of an entire garrison at first opportunity._

Her preening halted as Mikasa took in the massive cargo blocking the only exit from the slaughterhouse of Trost. _Whose hairbrained idea was this? Get Armored to trip on a stack of goods? He’d shatter his rib armor laughing._

The portly merchant shouted some explanation and Mikasa’s lips thinned with displeasure. She began to stalk forward as the Guardian grinned in anticipation of violence. _Can we kill him? Please, let me kill him. Arrogant fool, what has he ever had to struggle with? Reaching the salt from across the dinner table?_

Ackerman memories flowed around Mikasa’s mind, shaping her words for maximum scorn even as he swore punishment would follow if his head rolled. “My comrades would understand,” said Mikasa dryly. “They know that sometimes, one must die for the sake of many.”

Two warehouse workers twice her weight charged and Mikasa didn’t even bother to use the edges of her blades, slamming them down with the flat metal. _The blade’s dull Mikasa_ , whispered her Guardian, _but it’s still good enough for human flesh, at least_.

The man gave in at the last minute, self-preservation overriding his greed, and soon enough the crowds had pushed aside the pallets and were flowing through to safety again. A young girl and her mother thanked her, and Mikasa responded by sheathing her sword and saluting, pride flowing through her like warming mead. Her Guardian smiled and would have patted her head, if she wasn’t intangible. _That’s my girl._

Half an hour later, the gathering clouds had opened up and it was pouring rain, making the rooftops just as treacherous as the Titans. The Guardian had split between watching out for any slick patches, which were plentiful, and helping Mikasa like a hot knife in a knife testing factory. _Annnnd twelve!_ Another Titan corpse hit the cobblestone as the superior neither of them bothered with praised Mikasa’s skills as he distributed cloaks. Soon enough they were back in the middle of the action. _Thirteen, fourteen!_ A hard break and a neat twirl to avoid a grasping hand. _Fifteen_! They turned at the hip and fired a grapnel, turning as the line reeled them in to strike with the full force of a well-muscled body. _Sixteen_!

Mikasa recovered onto the peak of a Wall Church and looked down at her handiwork. The Guardian was pleased, but Mikasa noted the Garrison members around her. Down to two, just her and the commander. “Only the victorious are allowed to survive in this cruel world,” she murmured. Her mind kept going back to that day in the little cabin. Why now?

________________________________________________

Inside the Paths, outside of time, YMIR Fritz turned to Eren Jaeger with something resembling annoyance. _You’re trying to prepare her for your death, aren’t you? That’s why you were so cruel before, and why you’re sending her those memories in Trost._

Eren took his hand away from the tree of light, but his other hand, the one YMIR had been signing into, remained where it was. “It’s not something I enjoy doing,” he admitted. “But it’s better for her this way.”

_Isn’t that a choice you’re making for her?_

“So she can be happy with someone else!” argued Eren. “Hells, I’d even pick Jean!”

_At the expense of current and future misery for you and her. Sounds familiar to me._

Eren buried his head in his hands and sank to his knees. “You know what we have to do. It’s horrible and I won’t stand by and let one of the few good people in my life stain her soul like this, just because she loves me!”

YMIR’s face, eternally frozen at 11 years old, did not change, but she suddenly seemed much older. She signed _Look_ into Eren’s hand. He looked up at the tree of light, which sparked until an image resolved out of the multihued spectrum. Trainee Eren headbutting Mikasa as she wounded his pride, then tugging out of her grip before running off to get eaten. YMIR put one hand on her hip and gestured as the moment rewound. This time, Mikasa recovered from the headbutt a little faster and dragged Eren down into a kiss, effectively silencing him. As the younger Eren staggered off in a daze, YMIR gestured and the image dissolved back into light. Eren’s brows had drawn together in a dangerous manner. “What was the point of that?”

_Do you remember that kiss?_

The man clutched his head as a sudden migraine assaulted it. “Yes, wait, no! I don’t know?” His eyes snapped to YMIR, a pleading expression in them. “What are you trying to say? Is the past changing again? But I thought we couldn’t-“

YMIR shrugged. _Here, we exist outside of time. Which reminds me, I had an idea around 760, for something called a Titanbreak..._

Her signs faltered as ancient Eldian curses filled the air. Eren and YMIR swung around to see the Warhammer Titan, bloody and bruised, emerge from the light of the Paths, retreating before the onslaught of the Beast, dragging the limbless body of the Attack Titan by its hair. The Warhammer glanced at the head of the axe it had been favoring, chipped and broken, and discarded it with a grimace. Eren’s eyes bulged and he pointed at the Beast’s massive form. “Since when is he a dragon?”

YMIR had the grace to look slightly guilty. _In 548, Braugh Leonhardt discovered an unusual species of lizard in the Southern Isles. When his daughter inherited the Beast Titan six months later, she described it in great detail._ YMIR traced a circle in the sand with her foot and didn’t look up as the ferocious brawl continued, gouts of poison crystallizing the sand it hit into glass _. I might have gotten carried away with the Titan construction._

Eren looked at the glowing green eyes of his Titan as it sculpted a club foot and claw hands for itself out of the sand and tackled the Beast. “A bit,” he agreed.

The Warhammer Titan’s latest construction took both hands and all its prodigious strength to wield. It was much too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy, and far too rough. Indeed, it was like a heap of raw crystal with a keen edge. Her grin was keenly visible through her shattered mask, and she was missing a few teeth. _“What better weapon to kill a dragon, right brother?”_

Vast leathery wings smashed the Attack Titan back, even as it gathered more sand to itself and its arms and legs returned to more or less their normal human state. It grinned back and coated its hands in green fire flecked with gold. _I’ve missed this._

YMIR clapped her hands for attention and three massive Titan heads swiveled to hers. _I have not._ She pointed back at the Paths tree. _Take it outside._

“But-“

_NOW._

The Paths trembled to emphasize her order and Eren lost his footing. The Titans looked somewhere between scared and guilty as they trudged back through the portal. The Attack Titan took the time to bend down and pick Eren back onto his feet, brushing sand off him with massive fingers as a silent apology.

He raised his eyebrows at YMIR, who waved the Warhammer through the portal and sealed it behind them with a wave of sand.

“So how did you learn to do that?”

YMIR made a gesture that conveyed irritation, fondness, and exhaustion all at once that the modern Eldian language had no adequate translation for beyond “new parent”. _I did raise three daughters mostly on my own. Now I’m catching up on several thousand years of absent motherhood._

“Did you love them?” Eren’s voice was hesitant, aware this was something of a touchy subject. Whether under King Fritz's conditioning or the mysterious process that had created the Nine, YMIR had never had much of a choice to have children. She pondered the question for longer than Eren felt was appropriate, but he wasn’t in any position to judge. He wouldn’t be there for the birth of his child, after all. Finally, her hands flew into signs. _Yes, but not the same way you have loved. Not in the way she loves you._

“Are we really going back to this?”

_It’s important._

The two watchers turned back to the glowing tree.

______________________________________________________________

Brown-coated trainees were clustered around two blocks of buildings mercifully devoid of Titans in the cloud-covered afternoon. It had been two hours since the Colossal breached the gate but even to the Nine, this had been an unusually stressful engagement. They weren’t used to combat with their Shifters so fleshy and vulnerable.

 _I’m telling you, he’s fine,_ said the Female Titan. _He’s a Shifter, whether he knows it or not, and Jaeger was one determined human._

 _That means he was simply more likely to bite off more than he could chew,_ said her Armored brother, who nonetheless quailed and partially retreated back into Reiner at the looks the others shot him.

 _That was out of line,_ snapped Jaw from further back where Ymir was draped across Krista, playing up her affectionate nature at Jaw’s advice. They had hoped it would raise the spirits around them, Titan Wills or no, and the plan was failing miserably. Annie kept sneaking looks at Armin, who, after his arrival with Connie, Ymir and Krista, had returned to his semi-catatonic state, staring at the tiles with a smile that was frankly ominous. The Armored Titan alone had guessed that if left to his own devices, the teenager’s survivor’s guilt would have him slit his own throat in hours, so the trainees had all been keeping an eye on him. Even this far gone, Armin Arlert wasn’t going to traumatize his friends by dying in front of them. No, that would add to his share of guilt, which was already 15 meters high and counting.

“Do we move in Reiner?” asked Annie, hoping the answer would be yes in spite of herself. She didn’t want to have to keep seeing this despair, and yet here they were, wallowing in the middle of it. _Just let it end,_ she thought. _Let us find this stupid Founding Titan and we can all go home._

But Braun’s masochistic streak had yet to run its course. “Not yet,” said the Warrior. “We need to let them gather up first.” This was true in any case. The defense of Trost had completely fallen apart, the rain and Titans driving soldiers to ground all across the city, not to mention the loss of the supply depot, the source of their current predicament. Standard procedure was to think about new canisters at 50% and be actively replacing them at anywhere between 25-30%. Most of them were in that range, but the supplies hadn’t arrived at the designated spot. And here they stayed, out of despair, solidarity, or simply a lack of Titans in view.

 _Incoming Ackerman,_ warned the Colossal Titan and the Titan Wills positively fled back into their Shifters. _Maybe if we pretend to be asleep,_ said Jaw hopefully, _the Guardian won’t bug us._

 _Wa-hoooooo! c_ heered a soundless voice as Mikasa landed and strode towards the group of Warriors. _Eighteen kills so far and we’re down to our last blades! How about you guys? Huh? What about you, Sis?_

The Female Titan winced inside her Shifter and for once, tried to think small thoughts. _She’s closest to you,_ came the Colossal’s voice privately. _You owe it to them both to tell her, she can start to do damage control for her Ackerman._

“Annie” hailed Mikasa as all the other Titan Wills sucked in a breath. “I’m abreast of the situation and sorry to bother, but have you seen Eren’s unit?”

Years later, Annie and her Titan would have no idea how the girl managed to keep her face so still. Learned trauma response, no doubt. The girl shook her head. “Armin’s over there,” she said shortly, not trusting her mouth for any more. Words threatened to tumble out like, _He’s dead and it’s all our fault._ Words that wouldn’t do any good compared to the harm they would cause. Even if she wanted to, she felt Reiner and Bertholdt’s bulk at her back, an added pressure to be loyal to Marley here and now. “We haven’t seen anyone climb the wall either,” chimed in Reiner and Mikasa nodded as she left.

 _Awww, are you guys feeling guilty?_ crooned the Guardian. _Guilty I’m kicking your butts at Titan-slaying and just generally being the best?_

 _Watch your tongue,_ hissed Armored, _before I make Jaw bite it off._

The Guardian stuck her tongue out at him, but Mikasa only had eyes for Armin, crouching down, hands roving in search of wounds before standing once more. “Where’s Eren?”

Armin jerked his head up to meet hers, the tears cascading down his cheeks and Mikasa in that devastation saw the answer to her question. But Armin had to say it. Voice trembling, close to breaking, he gave her the damning answer. “Our unit...The 34th cadet unit...Thomas Wagner, Nic Tius, Mylius Zeramuski, Mina Carolina…” He sobbed the last name, and the sound was like an animal in pain. “Eren Jaeger! All five of them have fulfilled their duty and died heroic deaths in battle!"

The shock spread in waves through the trainees and even the Armored Titan felt his Shifter’s heart plunge at the statement. Armin kept going, no longer looking at his friend. “Mikasa, I’m sorry. Eren died in my stead. It…It should have been me!”

But the Guardian was having none of it. _That’s bullshit,_ she growled through clenched teeth before shouting over her shoulder, _and you four cowards didn’t think to mention this? Well screw that, nobody gets to rain on our parade_!

Mikasa’s eyes went blank and the Guardian yelped as her consciousness was thrown into full control of the body she had so painstakingly modified. _Mikasa?_

A small girl with long black hair curled up into a ball and sobbed. _I don’t wanna I don’t wanna, don’t make me, please. Please_.

 _Come on, dear heart,_ echoed her Guardian, scrabbling madly for something comforting. _Stand up. You have to be strong now, like me. You said, only the strong are victorious._

A gentle hand guided Armin to his feet as the little girl aged into a young woman before the Guardian’s eyes, levering herself up onto one knee. Her voice was ragged, raw, and bone-deep tired. _Okay. Just a little more. For my friends._

The Guardian nodded, pleased she’d been able to help her Ackerman. _Yes, like Sasha and Armin! My friends, Jaw and her sister._

In the real world, Mikasa strode back along the rooftop in a warrior’s stride, her commanding presence restored to something seemingly as rock-solid as ever. ”Marco, you said if we take out the Titans manning the supply depot, we can resupply our gas, right?”

The freckled boy hedged. “Well, yeah, but even if you’re with us, there’s just too many-“

A silver-black eye flashed and the Guardian flung a silver blade in Marco’s direction. “We can do it!” He flinched.

“I’m strong.” Mikasa lifted a blade in the air in synch with the Guardian, who was glaring at the Titan Wills. “ _Stronger than all of you. Extremely strong_.” She took a breath. “I can kill all those Titans, even if I’m alone. Either you’re all incompetent or spineless cowards!” The contempt in the Guardian’s voice mixed with Mikasa’s was withering. “ _How pathetic_.”

The Armored Titan rose like an avalanche, armor plating unfolding from Reiner Braun’s head to jab an armored finger at the Guardian. _Now listen here you blood-drunk little trollop, this is no way to-_

Silver flashed and the Armored Titan stared dumbfoundedly at the Guardian’s silver blades, a mirror of Mikasa’s own. She looked imperious. _Care to finish that sentence, cousin?_

His remaining fingers curled into a fist, but before he could reply in full, below them Mikasa had finished her despairing speech. “If I lose, I die. If I win, I survive. Only if I fight, can I win.”

She dropped off the roof and her gas soon had her far out of the Titan’s range, though not his roar of outrage.

 _That little fool,_ seethed the Armored Titan. _Who does she think she is?_

 _She’s young and excited,_ said the Female Titan with sympathy. _Running high, she thinks she’s invincible._

 _A delusion I fear,_ brooded the Colossal, _she will be disabused of shortly._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'll level with you, dear readers. I'm strongly tempted to make this into an AU, due to some events coming up shortly in-story. Granted as an author, I can justify shifts however I want, but to be honest, I don't want to just copy canon dialogue word-for-word while the Titans give MSTK-3000 style commentary. (Admittedly, that has been fun,and the scene here with Eren's spectacular failure has been on my mind for a while so I'm glad I could get it out to you.) What would you readers like to see? 
> 
> Not to worry, I'm not trashing this story, but well, let's just say the insides of certain people's heads are about to get a great deal more...chatty. A little something called a Titanbreak. Because I haven't used the word Titan enough today, it seems. Attack on Titan is a fairly realistic/pessimistic story, so a great deal of the characters, especially ones committing atrocities, like to say "there's no other way" to justify their decisions. I, on the other hand, have a perhaps naive belief in redemption and in love. Some people are too far gone and should be put down, but I'm also huge sucker for horrible people/Titans/YMIRs trying their best to climb out of the mess they have made. Love: familial, romantic, what have you, that's part of the stories people tell too. It doesn't mean it can stop the ill intentions of the world, the blind hate some people have for you and yours. But on a small scale, it can help one person be better, if they choose to accept it. Maybe that's enough.
> 
> I'll be going home for the holidays, masked, gloved, and wrapped in saran wrap, but will have a few days to write some more. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Good Cheer to everyone, no matter where in the world you are! It's been a shit year and 2021 won't be magically better, but we have to keep moving forward. Wishing you all the best!
> 
> Notes:  
> The "dragon" the Beast Titan transforms into was originally a Komodo Dragon before Mr. Leonhardt's stories got a little bit too carried away. The weapon used by the Warhammer Titan comes straight from Berserk. My spacebar key remains broken, but this story is still readable so I don't care anymore. There's just too much spacing to fix. Sorry.


	15. The Battle of Trost Part 2: Instability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardian learns an important lesson as the Armored Titan throws caution the winds. Minds stretched to the breaking point are easily influenced...

The Guardian knew the best antidote for despair was action, so that was why she was urging Mikasa forward. Mikasa thought she had nothing to live for with Eren dead and one way or another, the Guardian was going to change that. At least, that was the lie she told herself as they soared through the air at speeds only an Ackerman could respond to, her finely-crafted reflexes urging Mikasa down rain-soaked streets as they carved through Titan after Titan.

_Seventeen, Eighteen! Watch those hands, nineteen! Ahahaha, this is good! This is what I built you for!_

They kept going and the Guardian broke into song.

_Was it a shock for you?_

_Something’s scaring you!_

_Enemies will hunt you_

_No matter what you do!_

_But we’ll fight for you_

_Until we de-feat them all._

_If not, there’s no way out._

_Keep your weapons up!_

_Here come the chilling fangs!_

_Pushing down your fear,_

_Jump on the necks of mon-sters!_

_You can hide yourself, you can run,_

_We’re fighting for our lives!_

_It’s just another day,_

_There’s not much time,_

_be ready to fight,_

_Oh SHIT!_

Her song broke off as the gas propelling Mikasa ran dry at last and she sailed forward on pure momentum. Fingers frantically worked the triggers of her grappling hooks, but the mechanism did not respond. Mikasa and the Guardian braced themselves, but they still smashed into a roof at three times the normal speed of 3DMG. What was worse, they hit a crossbeam underneath all the tile and Mikasa could hear her reinforced bones creak in protest as pain bloomed along her side. Her grip loosened and one of her swords flew away. Head dazed and limbs unresponsive she slid sideways and then tumbled off the roof, crashing into a stack of boxes that held carrots intended for the day’s market.

 _It’s fine, it’s fine,_ soothed the Guardian as Mikasa’s mind accepted this was just one more source of pain in a life full of them. She wanted to lie there until the world ended, but the Guardian dragged them both out of the trash, ranting silently.

_Alright fine, if you’re going to just mope around, I’m taking the kid gloves off! No more Ms. Nice Guardian! Get up! Get up, right now Mikasa Ackerman!_

But Mikasa only collapsed to her knees and sat back, looking up at the cloudy sky.

 _It happened again,_ she thought. _I lost my family, again._

The Guardian rolled her eyes. _Oh by the Founder, what about all those friends I just used to motivate you? Sasha and Armin? I’ll even say something nice about Bertholdt if it’ll get you to move!_

A glimmer of sunlight reflected off the two segments of the blade in Mikasa’s hand and the glimmer of an idea stirred in her mind before the Guardian stabbed the thought back into nonexistence with all the fury of herself-defense protocols. _Oh no you don’t! No Ackerman of my line is going to even contemplate ritualistic suicide! I don’t care what stupid stories your mother told you about the Azumabito, you think this is the right way to go out?_

Unfortunately for the Guardian, the events of the day, or perhaps the last decade, had all caught up with Mikasa, and they hung around her shoulders like a black gargoyle. _What’s the point, though? To fight, to struggle, just so I can watch another family die? None of what we’ve done has changed anything._

BOOM. The ground shook with the unmistakable rumble of Titan footfalls and the Guardian surged up and out of Mikasa to reach roof height. _Oh Founder,_ she breathed and retreated at once. _We’ve got three fifteen-meter Titans converging on our position, get up, get up! We have to fight!_

Mikasa sheathed her sword and prepared for death as the Guardian began frantically rifling through memories. _This world is cruel, but it is also beautiful._ Mikasa’s most treasured memories, Eren wrapping a scarf around her, the companionship as she and Armin huddled around him in a rainy wet alley, trying to sleep, the taste of Eren’s lips that morning.

 _I lived a good life_ , thought Mikasa.

 _No you haven’t,_ growled the Guardian. _You’re not even twenty, you haven’t even been able to get laid! There’s so much we still have to do! So many more people we need to punch!_

Nothing.

 _Hello?_ Called the Guardian as a massive grinning Titan came closer. _Guys, I know you’re waiting to save me at the last second. Attack? Jaw?_

The Titan was barely a dozen meters away and the Guardian could feel some of her own panic beginning to seep in through the battle-hardened shell of memories long since lived. In the end, she was still a very young Will and without Mikasa's children, she would have no one to pass into upon death. This Guardian would die here with her Ackerman. She scanned the rooftops, but there wasn’t a single soldier in sight. _Anyone?_

No one answered and the Guardian was now blinking back tears that Mikasa could not shed. _I’m sorry, okay? I won’t be arrogant, I’m sorry! I don’t wanna die!_

As the Titan reached for them, Mikasa Ackerman’s Guardian threw all her will, all her anger, and all her defiance against the mind she inhabited. Fight, she pulsed with desperate urgency. Fight!

A flicker of self-preservation cut through the fog of despair blocking the Ackerman Will from her creation and she seized control of Mikasa’s motor functions, drawing and slashing with the stump of a blade in less than a second. She jumped backwards to avoid the second swipe and adjusted with a neat handspring to land on their feet.

 _Why?_ Despaired Mikasa, _why am I still fighting? Haven’t I lost all will to live?_

A second Titan clambered over the rubble behind Mikasa, cutting off her last route of escape. The Guardian silently apologized to the Attack Titan and pulled the memory of Eren Jaeger around her like a cloak, his voice becoming her own. _Fight! You have to fight!_

Mikasa’s reengineered heart skipped a beat. _I’m sorry Eren,_ she apologized to her Guardian, _I won’t give up ever again. Because if I die, I won’t be able to remember you anymore._ Inside their shared mind, the Guardian kissed Mikasa’s brow with bloody lips. _That’s my girl. Now,_ both of Mikasa’s hands clenched around what little remained of her blade, _let’s try and take at least one of these Mindless with us!_

_Personal growth!_ bellowed the Attack Titan as he put his entire body weight into a punch that shook the cobblestones and swept Mikasa off her feet through the shockwave alone. The Guardian’s Will soared upwards as the Attack Titan recovered and breathed out a sigh of relief. _So you really were waiting in the wings to save us? Oh, cousin, I never should have doubted you for a second._

 _Not really, said_ the Attack Titan. _I was three blocks to the West when I heard you screaming and barely made it here in the first place. Good thing this is Eren’s first transformation, because for once I get to be in the driver’s seat._

The Guardian blinked and looked the Attack Titan up and down, taking in his physical form for the first time. _By the Founder, you’re hot! You’ve got abs I could grate cheese on!_

The Attack Titan ignored her, instead turning to address the Mindless Titan who was trying and failing to rise with their shattered skull. _This is where I belong,_ he hissed with satisfaction. _Between the mortals and your grasping hands. Attack and shatter, crush and mangle,_ green eyes momentarily rolled back in his head. The Guardian swallowed heavily and dove back to Mikasa out of the line of fire as the Attack Titan howled its timeless roar to the heavens. _Rip and tear, until it is done!_

The carnage he unleashed upon the body of the Mindless Titan was impressive in its thoroughness, and he only stopped when a fresh victim came into view. _Ah, how invigorating it is to feel flesh part in my hands again. I haven’t truly been unleashed since the Evacuation of Liberio. Let’s see if Lady Beaumont’s technique still works._

He adopted a fighting stance, ignoring the shocked commentary from the Trainees who had dragged Mikasa up to the roof, and waited. The Mindless, true to its name, led with its chin and the Attack Titan unleashed a slap born of supernatural strength and six years of pent-up anger. Armin, Connie, and Mikasa gaped as the head soared across the skyline and smashed through a bell tower. The Attack Titan watched his still-regenerating fist, which flickered with green fire as the flesh was restored. _That should get them to notice me._

True to his word, the heads of four Titan Shifters swiveled as a faint, but unmistakable roar reached their ears. The Female Titan breathed a sigh of relief and Jaw outright cheered.

 _He’s energetic,_ said the Armored Titan as they watched a head impact a bell with a sonorous BONG. _Let him get it out of his system. Besides look there, he saved the Ackerman girl from the Guardian’s foolishness._

 _Are we still going to yell at her later?_ Asked Armor with a hopeful note in his thoughts.

_Most definitely. And for once, you and Attack will be on the same side, once he learns what happened._

Back on the roof, the Attack Titan was picking his teeth with the dissolving finger bones of his kills and pretending not to listen to the Guardian’s silent breakdown while Armin refilled her gas. _I was all alone out there because charged ahead without any care for the soldiers behind us. Mikasa was in despair and I abused the control she gave me for my own thrill in combat. Oh, what would the Founder think of me now? All because I wanted to live up to the Guardians before me, dreaming of last stands and heroics._ Her inner voice was bitter. _We were both fools today, Mikasa. I will not be so rash with the body I have built for you again. It is yours first, and mine second._ She looked down to see Armin staring into the jagged shards of her last weapon with a dead-eyed look.

“Just leave me this one,” he muttered, but the Guardian wasn’t sure if it was Mikasa or herself who dragged Armin to his feet and across the roof. “No one else is dying today,” she said. “We’re not leaving you behind.”

“But you can’t just carry me like some fairy tale! This isn’t going to work.”

Connie clapped him on the shoulder. “Nahh, don’t worry about it, you’re light enough. If I can carry you, which I’m sure I can, then someone with Mikasa’s muscles will have no problem!”

“No problem…” echoed Armin as his brain turned over. “B-But what about all the Titans clustered around the supply station, let alone the storage room itself?”

The Attack Titan spat out a finger bone and perked up. _Clustered Titans? Lead the way, Arlert!_

Slowly, Armin put the pieces together as the Attack Titan tried not to look like it was obviously loitering. “Then, if we can use that Abnormal, direct him there, I’m sure he can at least even the odds for us!”

 _Even the odds._ The Attack Titan strode after them as the humans zipped down the street at a sedate pace. _I used to fight against armies, and Arlert’s worried about a few dozen of Grisha’s Restorationists? I take them out, and the intelligence of the Mindless might actually increase._

“Look, over there!” shouted Connie into Armin’s ear. “I can see the others. Definitely Jean and Reiner are still alive!”

Armin nodded and hoped Connie wouldn’t deafen him. “We’ll converge at the supply station, use the streets to funnel the Titans in so they don’t overwhelm us.”

The Attack Titan pummeled one of the Mindless into a building, ignoring the Titan approaching from behind, which fell to Mikasa’s blades.

 _Watch your surroundings,_ admonished the Guardian. _And speaking of, can you at least try and limit the property damage? They’re going to make us pick up the leftovers and I do not want to have to fish a Titan skull out of that bell tower_.

The Attack Titan pulled a ten-meter Mindless sideways and dug his fingers into its neck. _One, I’m sure this is all tax-deductible. Titan damage has been on the books since they invented taxes. Partially because the Nine often collected taxes from subjugated populations, but-_

He paused to rip the Titan’s spine and head off and crush the vertebra between his fingers in an explosion of gore and fluid. _Ahahahaha, YES!_

The humans were nervously looking over their shoulders at him and Connie was clearly having second thoughts. The Attack Titan dropped the impromptu flail and kept moving. _Got caught up in the moment. Anyway, dead Titans always evaporate. Mother was always fairly practical about that sort of thing, as was Cart._

“We’re almost there!” shouted Armin as the buildings fell away to reveal the miniature castle once staffed by the Garrison, now occupied by Titans and the screams of panicking trainees. Two of the Titans were crouched by a crater in the wall, their fingers already grasping for human flesh. Attack sped up, moving from a walk into a full-on charge and causing Mikasa and Connie to spin in circles as the weight of his passage threw them off course. _Let’s see if I can get two, for the price of one,_ grunted the Attack Titan as it tackled the Titans away from the building. The three tore at each other for several seconds, but the Attack Titan, was once again the victor. He stood, green fire slowly sealing his wounds to see Mikasa and Connie make their way into the structure. He looked around and ground his flattened, skull-like teeth. There were easily twelve Titans all converging on him, even the pesky small ones. The Armored Titan’s invisible Will floated out of a shattered window and emanated smug confidence in his direction, though the Attack Titan didn’t miss the subtle undercurrent of relief. _Jaeger bit off more than he could chew, then?_

The Attack Titan flipped his brother off and punted one of the smaller Mindless up the street. _We’re managing. How come Braun hasn’t bolted out and made a run for the Inner Gate? Did the famous Marleyan Warriors lose their nerve?_

 _He’s not exactly mentally stable right now,_ admitted Armor with a glance back into the building. _Look they’re going down there to take out a bunch of the Mindless midgets with blades alone, and he’s making jokes about our second weak spot being a blade up the ass_.

The Attack Titan brought his hands up in a guard position as three Titans charged at him, the muscle of three lesser Titans straining to match the strength of one of the Nine. _You are never going to let me live that down, are you?_

Armor was clearly amused. _The statue was enormous, I can’t believe you landed on the sword like that. Korquin Kruger was red in the face for the rest of the campaign, remember?_

 _Without the Ancestral Memories? Not a chance,_ lied the Attack Titan. _Get back in there and keep an eye on your Shifter, I’ve got things handled out here._

________________________________________

Minutes later, the Armored Titan waited with baited breath in the rafters as the lift creaked lower. He shot a look across to see his sisters and the Colossal looking equally as anxious. _Eight Mindless and eight attackers,_ he mused. _Which one of us wants to bolt out when someone screws up?_

 _I can,_ said the Female Titan as Annie’s eyes twitched between her assigned Titan and Armin’s pale face in the center of the lowering fusillade of muskets.

 _Same here,_ sent Jaw. _All these beams, and the Titans are just my size. Remember Krista’s in there too._

There had been a furious, semi-whispered argument between the two girls, Ymir looming over Krista in the torchlight as she accused the blonde of “finding just another reason to get yourself killed”. Krista, who on her tiptoes barely crossed the other girl’s torso, had retorted that Ymir was being overprotective. It was Jean, of all people, who had defused the argument, stepping in between the two girls to remind that to keep their voices down, and that everyone’s lives were at risk here, not just Ymir’s girlfriend. Krista had blushed furiously as the tension dissipated in a ripple of chuckles and fond looks at the 104th’s second most obvious couple. They tried not to think about Franz and Hannah, who were still missing, or all the other empty spaces around them.

There was a _clunk_ as the cargo hauler fell into place and the trainees leveled their guns. Everyone, Wills included, was holding their breath in the absolute silence that descended. One of the Mindless twitched and jerked in the direction of the lift with unnatural speed. Trainees gasped and only Marco’s “Hold fast!” restrained them, though it was a near thing. Ymir lowered her hand from her mouth slowly.

“C’mon…c’mon” urged Reiner under his breath. His Titan was laser-focused on their target while inside Reiner’s mind a maelstrom raged. They could just let the trainees get torn apart, argued the Warrior, he could even knock Mikasa down there with a short jump himself. Then the Warriors could disappear in the chaos of Trost and investigate that promising Abnormal outside. The part of Reiner trained as a Soldier, and who the Armored Titan was secretly starting to root for, protested mightily. First, it was simply morally heinous, deliberate abandonment of fellow soldiers who had survived Trost alongside him so far. A gross dereliction of duty, not to mention traitorous. Reiner’s mind quailed at the word _traitor_ , the most common curse spat against Eldians, right after _monster_ and _devil-blood_. Secondly, it was unnecessary. Armin’s plan had a good chance of working, and even if it failed, there could still be survivors. Such as Mikasa. A vengeful Ackerman was not something Reiner wanted coming after him, so best to follow the plan.

Below, the Titans took one more step forward and Marco bellowed the order to fire. Reiner’s scream of indecision and anguish was drowned in the staccato of gunfire as he jumped. _Now!_ barked the Armored Titan and Reiner swung his swords in unison with Mikasa and Bertholdt.

They landed on their feet and backed away as the Titans fell except, no, not all the Titans.

“Sasha and Connie missed!” someone called out, and Reiner cursed. “Shit, I don’t have an angle!”

“ _We do_ ,” barked Mikasa as she vaulted off one of the support beams to land on a Titan’s shoulders to damn near decapitate it. Annie tried the same maneuver, but her Titan dove for Connie and she sailed overhead. The boy cried out as he was thrown into a wall and the Titan scrambled forwards, mouth open, straight at the Warriors.

“Almost there!” shouted Ymir over the screams.

 _Fuck it,_ thought the Armored Titan and moved Reiner’s frozen body.

The blades used by the Legions of Paradis had been designed for slashing, but the Armored Titan didn’t care. Reiner’s feet tucked under him as he jumped over the crown of the Titan’s head, feeling matted hair skim his boots. His hands spun his swords into a reverse grip and he stabbed down, wrenching them this way and that in a violent frenzy of spurting blood, the Warrior and Soldier halves of Reiner’s personality expressing their dissonance through physical violence. The barrel-chested teenager was breathing hard when the Titan finally stopped moving, and the blades were buried so deep, it was easier to leave them where they were and keep the handles.

Reiner stumbled off of the Titan he’d killed and let out a shaky breath. “That was close, huh? You alright Connie?”

The smaller boy groaned. “I’m fine!”

“We’ll see about that,” snapped Krista, bustling over with a medical bag in her hands and a stern look on her face. With most of the attention focused on Connie, Reiner drew back into the scrum of trainees rushing about for gas and occasionally cheering about the one thing that had gone right on this miserable day. He felt, more than saw, Bertholdt next to him. “I should be asking if you’re alright, Reiner. I’ve never seen you fight like that before.”

Reiner’s brow was furrowed and he distinctly remembered the feeling of someone else moving his limbs. That blade grip wasn’t one he’d been taught in Marley or Paradis…

“Neither have I,” he said.

Holding two full gas canisters in her hands, Annie leaned against the closest pillar. “That was unexpected, Reiner.”

Reiner turned on her and she could see the fire in his eyes. “I could say the same, Annie.” His hand shot out and tightened on her arm. “You were right behind Mikasa, trying to save that fool. Tell me, have you fallen for these island devils? There were plenty of rumors about you and Arlert.”

Annie’s leg twitched, but they both knew better to start a fight when everyone around them was so high-strung. She glared right back, easily matching his fiery anger with ice-cold fury of her own. ”You’re the one who said we should wait. Remember, Marcel should be here, not you.”

“I’ll never forget it, you frigid bitch.”

“Guys let’s not do this here,” hissed Bertholdt out of the side of his mouth. ”Can’t it wait?”

“She’s jeopardizing the mission,” said Reiner.

“He’s deflecting!” Annie pointed her gas canister at the steaming mess that had been a Titan minutes before. “What the hell was that back there? When you talk to us, you barely make sense half the time. I don’t know about you Bertholdt, but I’m not getting eaten just so Reiner can pretend to be a stupid little soldier! We’re Warriors, get that through your thick skull!”

She brought her gas canister down on Reiner’s foot and stomped off, the Female Titan silently waving goodbye above her.

 _You know,_ said the Colossal Titan drily. _I think that was the most Annie’s said in one conversation since we arrived on this island._

________________________________________

The Warriors stepped out into the welcoming late afternoon sunlight and headed towards the sound of Titans, but Mikasa was already there, staring at the Abnormal that had been their savior. _Do you need help?_ Called the Guardian as first Armin, then the Warriors joined her on the rooftop.

 _I’m fine,_ said her cousin, to looks of deep skepticism from the Wills.

 _Your arms are gone and we can see your ribs,_ said the Colossal. _Ackerman can clean this up easily, just stay there as big, juicy bait._

“Cannibalism?” Armin peered closer. ”Can he not regenerate like the others?”

Mikasa shrugged. “This might sound foolish, but I was hoping he’d be the key for us. A way to break the cycle, turn the tide just long enough to give us a sliver of hope.”

 _Subtle,Guardian,_ snarked the Female Titan as her cousin tossed her hair. _Well, I don’t want her accidentally killing the love of her life, do I?_

“She’s right,” said Reiner, breaking into the conversation for the first time. “He’s too valuable to just let die, there’s too much we could learn from him. Let’s pick those stragglers off.”

“Are you nuts?” Jean clambered onto the roof, wondering what had been keeping his friends. “We’re so close to escape and you want to go diving right into those jaws?”

 _Where is Jaw anyway?_ Asked the Guardian.

The Female Titan smirked and watched her counterpart fume. _Broom closet with her little girlfriend, obviously._

The Guardian stabbed an invisible sword into the roof several times, but it didn’t make her feel any better. _I can NOT believe my perfect physical specimen of an Ackerman is going to be the last one to get laid in this Corps! Totally unfair!_

 _Bertholdt here’s got a hopeless crush on Leonhardt,_ said the Colossal in an attempt to soothe her. _Founder alone knows why._

 _Speaking of the Founder,_ Armor pointed with one finger, only to realize the Guardian had cut it off an hour before. _We should stop screwing around and help our brother._

Another Titan approached the half-dozen who had surrounded their brother, blonde curly hair and gormless expression marking it as a familiar Aberrant.

“Oh no,” gasped Armin,his face echoing his earlier fear. “That’s the Titan that ate Thomas!”

The Attack Titan looked up and his eyes, which had dimmed to black, flickered green once again as he felt Eren Jaeger’s consciousness rouse itself with familiar anger. _Looks like my time as a Free Will is almost up,_ he mused. _It was nice while it lasted._ _But I think I’ve got enough left here to stick it to Armor one more time._

 _Yes…_ murmured Eren. _Kill them all._

 _I knew there was a reason I liked you,_ said the Attack Titan fondly as it charged. Grasping Titans ripped chunks of flesh away from his body, and his arms were gone. Sacrificed to keep his legs healed. Mobility was the most important thing for a Titan Shifter like him, because there were other ways to kill Mindless. Like his teeth.

Roaring defiance, the Attack Titan sidestepped Thomas’s killer and bit down, slab teeth shredding the vestigal human spine beneath.

 _Holy shit,_ breathed the Guardian as her cousin stomped down on the smaller Titans and bodily hurled the larger ones into buildings with the body in his teeth. The Colossal gave her a sympathetic look. _You’ve never seen him truly lose his temper, have you? There’s a reason he’s the black sheep of the family._

The Attack Titan spat out the steaming corpse in his teeth and howled at the sky. _Come on you Marleyan fucks,_ he sent. _Is that the best you’ve got? I’m still standing!_

Of course, that was when his much-abused Titan body finally failed, and the Attack Titan collapsed to the street.

 _He always did push himself too hard,_ mused the Female Titan as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. _It’s stupid, but still…_

“Look!” shouted Armin, and the Shifters stood riveted to the spot as the fallen Titan’s nape popped open. Subconscious muscles relaxed and tendons released, disgorging Eren Jaeger, whole and unmarred, into the steaming afternoon air. The Guardian smiled. _Go to him,_ she whispered, and Mikasa moved as if in a daze. The moment her feet hit the ground she began to run, but the meters between them seemed like miles. Her eyes never wavered from the form slumped on top of a Titan. She recognized that hair, the tan shirt Armin had found for him on sometime in the second year of their training. _He’d found it on sale,_ she thought in a daze. _It was just the right size._

Then all of a sudden she was there, she was touching him, he was impossibly, incredibly real. A wild hope soared within her and she bent her head to his chest in a way she had dreamed of more than once. _Th-thump. Th-thump_.

_He’s alive._

The Guardian released the emotional floodgates and Mikasa’s tears finally spilled over. The cries she made echoed throughout the square, speaking of pain long ignored and blessed relief. Exhaustion and renewed hope. She clung to him and would not let go, could barely move as the Warrriors, accompanied by Armin and a silent Jean, lifted them both up to the castle parapet, out of the way of any stray Titans. With outsiders there, the Warriors could not speak openly, of course, but they were communicating in head jerks, frantic looks, and Marleyan military sign. Their shock was at least as palpable, but for an entirely different reason.

 _How did we never notice?_ thought Bertholdt.

 _I knew something was strange about him,_ signed Annie _. When we trained, he healed just as quickly as I did._

 _He seemed like such a nice guy,_ said Reiner’s Soldier persona, while the Warrior simply glowered at Mikasa’s back. They were so close to answers and she was interfering. _If he was a nice guy, was all that bloodlust coming from him, or because he held a Titan inside him?_

The Armored Titan was silently affronted, but said nothing. He had learned that nothing good came if he attempted to mediate between the two sides of Reiner Braun’s personality. Armin had grasped Eren’s once-missing hand and had teared up as well, reality slowly sinking in for all of them.

“Wait,” said Jean as the thought struck him. “So Eren did all of this?”

They turned to view the devastated city of Trost, steaming Titan corpses causing the air to ripple in the late afternoon. No one spoke for some time, each of them, Titan Will, Shifter, and human alike in their own little worlds. It had been a very long day for them all, and it wasn’t over yet.

_Incoming from the Inner Gate,_ sent the Colossal Titan, whose eyes could see the furthest. _Thirty garrison troops, led by that fool with the beard and sunken eyes._

 _Thank Mother,_ sighed the Armored Titan. _Reinforcements._

 _Or more people the Warriors might kill,_ said the Female Titan with weary resignation. _Think Braun’ll still try for the Gate?_

Armor snorted a plume of fire. _He barely remembers which way is up right now. He doesn’t know what he should do, he doesn’t know what Marcel would do, and he knows your Shifters are looking to him for answers. I’ve interfered enough, so I’m staying out of this for now._

Jean, who had started to relax once he’d spotted the humans flying towards them, had a rude awakening when they were greeted not with cheers and congratulations, but by suspicious looks and raised blades. The teenager threw up his hands, instinctively warding them off. “Woah, woah, woah!” he cried, “What’s this about.”

A short silver-haired woman tapped a brass telescope strapped to her belt. “You will speak when spoken to, soldier! We’ve been monitoring the retreat from the top of Wall Rose.”

 _Saving your own skins, you mean_ , thought Armin and Annie, though both knew better than to voice the thought as the adjutant continued. “We saw a highly aggressive Abnormal tear through the Titans and buildings in equal measure, then observed some of you leading it deeper into the city. Once the Titans had been eliminated, we saw you swoop down and collect something from its body. The Garrison and the Survey Corps will want your official testimony, of course, but what did you find?”

Unconsciously, the trainees had formed a circle around Eren, who was still steaming slightly, and the slight woman’s mouth thinned as she saw the resistance that had formed. In response, Mikasa stood up, one hand still clutching Eren’s shoulder as Reiner tensed.

“We were able to rescue Eren Jaeger from the Titan’s mouth, Adjutant Brezenska. We were just about to join you at the wall.”

The bearded sergeant’s eyes narrowed. “You say Cadet Jaeger was inside the Titan?”

Bertholdt’s “No!” and Jean’s “Yes!” overlapped as Annie and Mikasa moved protectively in front of the unconscious teenager. The man’s glower cast a pall over the group and Reiner was suddenly and visibly reminded of Captain Magath, who always knew when they were lying.

The rumble of Titan footfalls reached their ears as several distant forms began to move towards the group.

“Put your blades away cadets,” said the man as Annie’s own twitched. “We’ll discuss this on the other side of the wall. Until you explain this, you’re all in protective custody, for the good of humanity.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the alterations are gradually piling up and the Titan Wills are getting less and less subtle. :)


	16. The Battle of Trost Part 3: Trial by Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Titan Wills and their Shifters make choices with wide-ranging repercussions.

It was common knowledge that Kitz Weilman was a coward and generally unsuited for command. He’d gained his position after the fall of Wall Maria when a number of low-level officers had met their ends at the hands and jaws of Titans. At the time, he’d just been another recently married man with a child on the way who’d needed an officer’s salary to make ends meet, but the man was cleverer than Dot Pixis gave him credit for. With the low cunning exemplified by street thieves, prostitutes, and enterprising public servants everywhere, Sergeant Kitz discovered his position was twice as profitable when he informed upon the military’s actions for Lord Targovistche. His employer had invited the otherwise lowly Garrison sergeant and his wife to a garden party in Wall Sina two years before, with explicit instructions regarding sightings of unusual Titans. Instructions that had included an implicit promise of a very large amount of coin.

He’d ordered the teenagers to sheathe their blades, just in case, but he received far more of a reaction than he expected. Kierstein, Hoover, Arlert and Leonhardt followed orders, the first three looking nervously at him while Leonhardt’s gaze was as cool as ice. Braun and Ackerman,on the other hand, actually glared at him and tightened their grip on their weapons. Arlert tugged his friend’s scarf and the movement brought her back to sensibility. With a regretful look over her shoulder at the Titan-thing steaming behind them, she followed suit, as did Braun a moment later. Meaningful looks were being thrown between the trainees before Kitz and three of his men ploughed through and occupied the center of the formation.

“Ackerman,” he ordered in what he thought was a tone that brooked no argument, “You carry the Titan-thing until we get over the wall, then wake him up. Everyone else, I’m placing a gag order on this incident until we can find out what the hell is happening. Now move out!”

He clashed his swords together to emphasize his point and Adjutant Rico Brezinska took point as the formation moved back through the deserted streets. While there was some muttering from his subordinates at the sheer number of slain Titans around them, Kitz Weilman kept silent, his mind turning over the ways he could play this out. Simply “confiscating” the Titan and delivering him to Lord Targovistche made his own involvement too obvious but destroying it outright without confirming the signs his master had given would have been a failure as well. Best to mine the Titan for as much information as possible first, then destroy it. Kitz nodded to himself and a small smile emerged underneath his mustache. He’d set them down in range of two intersecting Wall cannons and train them on the Aberrant. Once he’d extracted enough information, the cannons would debilitate it and his soldiers could chop the remains to pieces. A report on a Titan that had snuck past the gate, a glowing description of his swift response, and bravo, commendations all around.

Kitz was so wrapped up in congratulating himself that he missed the silent, but furious argument being carried out by the 104th trainees. He could be forgiven for missing the parallel argument among the Titan Wills who were of course, invisible and inaudible to all.

_Look,_ said the Guardian plaintively, _I’m sorry_!

The Attack Titan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to contain its disappointment and mostly succeeding. His thought-speech was still sharper than normal as green eyes met silver. _You shouldn’t just be sorry, you should be better. They assigned Ackerman to the Elite Guard, which means they’re grooming her for command in light of her skills. Physically, you both performed wonderfully, but emotionally you failed._

He jerked his head forward in the direction of Reiner Braun and his Will. _You’re inexperienced and young, which is why I’m disappointed instead of ABSOLUTELY LIVID._ He took a deep breath again as the Female Titan gestured for him to shut up. _You had to reign in your emotionally unstable Ackerman, we get that. But you used your glory-seeking as an excuse to take control of her entirely and almost got you both killed. Even if she doesn’t actually know about you, it was still an abuse of trust._

His younger cousin’s eyes flashed and she laughed bitterly. _That’s rich, talking about abuse of trust when you don’t even share secrets with your own siblings!_

The other Wills eyed him with resurgent suspicion, but the Attack Titan ploughed on. _You don’t get to change the subject when you abandoned those soldiers earlier. As a member of the elite guard, you were the commanding officer in the field. But you left them to be picked off by Titans and Kierstein had to take command! Kierstein!_

 _He did well,_ said the Colossal Titan. _Casualty rates were within expected parameters and Ackerman’s instability meant that even if the Guardian had performed responsibly, the likelihood her impulses would be listened to is low_.

The Attack Titan ground his teeth. _I want to make sure she understands how irresponsible she was. We’re-_

 _She understands,_ said his sister as she drew protectively around the Guardian. _By the Founder, look at her, she’s crying._

The youngest Will was indeed crying, tears flowing down her face in silence, vanishing once they fell away from her area of existence. The Attack Titan looked stricken and glanced sideways. _Come on Armor, help me out here. You know how rare it is for us to agree on anything._

 _I’m trying to dissuade Reiner from stabbing this man through the neck,_ said his brother in a strained voice, a sentence which had all the Wills paying sharp attention to the massive blonde teenager, who was clenching and unclenching his hands with a Shifter’s telltale strength.

 _Mikasa’s thinking about a breakout as well,_ sniffed the Guardian, trying to dry her tears. _I’m-I can’t really give her advice right now._

 _Tact of a potato,_ sent the Female Titan to her brothers. To the Guardian, she was gentler. _That’s alright dear, take your time. Look, there’s the wall now._

Wall Rose loomed above them and the group ascended in spurts, cables dragging them into the vertical ascent. The initial group of Garrison soldiers immediately moved for the cannons at Kitz’s orders and the harsh mechanical grinding as they moved into position made the trainees sweat the whole way up the wall. Mikasa winced as the heavy bruising along her side protested at Eren’s weight. _The Guardian perked up as an idea occurred to her and she edged it into Mikasa’s mind, which latched on with desperate strength._

“Annie, Armin,” she put some strain into her voice and the sharp jolt of pain in her breast bone was not entirely faked. “I’m losing my grip, help me carry Eren.”

“Belay that!” barked Sergeant Weilman from the top of the wall. Get up here Ackerman and prove your loyalty to humanity!”

“He’s slipping!” she called out as Eren fell from a suddenly sweaty palm, only to be caught by Annie and Armin, who had swooped instantly to her rescue. As Mikasa hung from the wall and shook out her trembling limbs, the two blondes busied themselves pretending to move Eren’s body into a strong hold. In reality, they were holding a conversation all their own.

“We’ve got to get Eren out of here,” breathed Armin. “I don’t trust the Sergeant.”

 _No shit_ said Annie’s eyes. “Let’s get him down into the crowd, or one of the houses.”

The buzz of a grappling line being drawn in signaled the arrival of Adjutant Brezinska, who looked decidedly put out. “If he’s too heavy, we can have some of the others carry him. Hurry up, we’re losing daylight.”

With the Adjutant watching, Annie and Armin carried Eren up the Wall in a relay movement they’d practiced earlier in the year, but never expected to actually use. With all the focus on the “Titan-thing” Jean and Bertholdt were the only ones to see a tall figure and a small blonde creep over the Wall several hundred meters to their right. On the rooftops of Trost, surrounded by the remaining Garrison soldiers, who were looking around nervously for signs of Titans, Jean sighed and looked up the Wall at the visibly moving cannons. “What do you think they’re gonna do with Eren?”

Bertholdt pulled out a handkerchief and swiped at his forehead. “Nothing good, I guess.”

Jean cursed. “Jeager’s pretty freaky, I’ll admit, but seriously?” he gestured up at the cannons. “That’s overkill!”

The taller boy made a noise of agreement.

___________________________________________________________

Reiner grunted as he hauled Eren’s annoyingly unresponsive ass up over the lip of the Wall. They’d been fighting the Titans all day and the guy was lucky he was still in one piece. Sergeant Weilman grabbed Eren by the belt and started to drag him away, but Reiner shoved the man back. ”Hey, step off, man,” said the blonde boy with some irritation. “Can’t you see we’re exhausted? We’ve been out there for hours! Eren’s lost his weapons and his 3DMG’s busted! Have you even used any of those blades? I thought we were supposed to be soldiers. ” He cast a significant look at the Garrison’s immaculate gear and the bearded sergeant stepped forward, eyes menacing.

“You are not in position to either give orders or question our commitment to humanity, Trainee Braun. That, that thing is a threat and will be treated like one until I say so!”

“His name,” said Armin, coming to stand next to Reiner and surreptitiously holding Annie’s hand, “is Eren Jaeger. He’s not a Titan, he’s a soldier for Humanity!”

Reiner blinked. “Why would he be a Titan?” he whispered to Annie. “I’ll explain it to you later,” she hissed as she tried to place Arlert’s grasp out of the taller boy’s line of sight.

The Armored Titan eyed the Warrior persona he’d just shoved out of primacy with some suspicion, as the mass of memories and seething guilt bubbled next to him, singeing his plates with ash and something black. He’d taken an enormous risk, had in fact been taking steadily more of them as the day went on, and hoped Reiner’s psyche could withstand the pressure.

Meanwhile, Armin saluted, fist over his heart and kept speaking. “I grew up with Cadet Jaeger in Wall Maria, Shiganshina District. He hates plucking chickens and loves asparagus soup. He’s trained harder than anyone else I know, he’s one of the Top Ten graduates of the 104th Trainee Corps, and an exceptional soldier! So is everyone here!” Armin swept his hand across, indicating the small group who had climbed the Wall.

“He is correct, Sir” said Adujant Brezenska as she adjusted her glasses. “Ackerman alone is worth at least a hundred soldiers, she’s quite a warrior.” The Guardian smiled as Mikasa slid past a frozen Reiner to stand behind Armin with a cold smile. “These blades are meant for killing Titans, and I’m quite good at it. But if you harm Eren, then they will turn against you.”

The wide mouth of a cannon barrel swung in their direction, shortly followed by a second as Garrison soldiers raised their swords. “Woah, woah,” soothed Reiner, carefully taking his hands away from his gear. “Everybody let’s just calm down. We’re all on the same side, right?”

“That depends,” spat Kitz, “on Jaeger.”

The rapidly rising tension was diffused when Eren mumbled something indistinct. The trainees all spun around as Armin dragged Eren into a sitting position. “Eren, are you alright?”

“Kill them all,” said the boy and Armin’s tender expression froze on his face as the tension shot right back up again. Annie’s foot flew sideways and kicked Eren in the face, sending him back into Armin with a yelp of pain. “OW! Hey, wait, what the hell?”

“Did you hear that?”

“He’s going to kill us all!”

“Are those cannons loaded?”

“Walls protect us!”

 _Brother, respectfully, are you out of Mother-made mind?_ demanded the Female Titan.

_Huh? Who woke me up from that dream? It was pretty great, I was punching the Beast Titan in the face and oooooh wow I feel like shit. Did Armor run me over or something, because-_

The Female and Armored Titan both slapped their hands over their brother’s mouth, concentrating fiercely on the humans below _._

“Cadets!” bellowed Kitz, “You are all guilty of acts of high treason, including threatening a superior officer! Cadet Jeager, if you answer my questions, I may allow your friend’s lives to be spared.”

He motioned the Garrison soldiers back and they edged out into a brief circle just behind the cannon mouths as the cadets closed ranks instinctively. Annie slipped a small ring onto her finger and pressed her lips against it in silent benediction. The Titan Wills were silently urging them together, united for once in the understanding that for the first time in a hundred years, they would survive or die together. Keitz continued. “If you stand, move, or do anything suspicious, I will order both of these cannons to open fire and blow you all into tiny bits.”

“Wait, we-“

“Do not test me, Cadet Braun! You’ve made your bed, now lie in it!”

Reiner had to visibly restrain himself as the Sergeant pointed a blade in his direction and wracked his brains for any recent memories, but the last few minutes, since he had climbed Wall Rose, were missing. He remembered the sensation of slashing down at a Titan’s neck, with moves he had never learned, and felt a deep and piercing fear fill his soul. Reiner slowly brought a hand up to his face and strained to muster the iron will Keith Shadis had so often praised him for. But Kitz Weilman had already moved on to scream at Eren who, though pale and draped across Armin’s back, was screaming back with equal determination.

“What are you then? A human, or a Titan?”

“What kind of question is that?” yelled Eren. “Of course I’m a human! Why wouldn’t I be?” Armin covered his ears.

“Don’t play innocent with me, you vile Titan! Scores of us saw them rip you out of your true form, and Cadet Kierstein confirmed it when your conspirators tried to lie on your behalf! Now, how did something so vile come to be? Were you experimented on? Did you slip into the Walls from outside? Tell us the truth!”

Eren’s eyes were the size of dinner plates and he glanced sideways at Armin who, after a moment, gave a resigned nod. Eren’s voice was still just as loud, but they could all hear the note of confusion and uncertainty in his voice. “Sir I- I have no memory of this, sir!”

The Wills were all incoherently shouting at the Attack Titan, mostly variations of _hurry up and release his damn memories, you idiot_ , so the green-eyed Will had dived back inside Eren’s head. Unfortunately for all of them, in his mercy for the child Eren had once been, the Attack Titan had done his work too well. The memories of that day in the forest, Grisha’s brief explanation, and the promise of the future, were locked tightly away. The lock had loosened, though. Eren’s eyes flickered and his hand dove into his threadbare shirt. “The key!”

A diamond-shaped handle, inlaid with brass over a core of iron glinted in the sunlight as he held it up. All eyes were drawn to it. “My father said, that he’d been working on something special, in our basement, and he would show it to me when he returned! Maybe that has something to do with it.”

Adjuant Brezinska cleared her throat. “Grisha Jaeger was a highly accomplished doctor in Wall Maria, sir. The suggestion has merit, and there is precedent for medical advances tested on close family first.”

Eyes slid sideways towards Mikasa as the implication became clear, but she was frozen in shock. Dr. Jaeger had been sure to inoculate his children with the first doses of which ever medications had reached his doorstep. But then she…Mikasa shook her head vehemently as the Guardian stabbed the suspicion to death with her blades, personally affronted at the assumption mere human science could ever match her biological artistry.

“No, never. Dr. Jaeger and Eren are both good people. They saved my life!”

Kitz raised an eyebrow. “Then where is he?”

The Ackerman’s face fell. “He disappeared, shortly after the Fall of Wall Maria. He found us in the Southern refugee camps, but he-“ Her voice broke. “He never came back.”

Kitz’s eyes were wild, but there was a hunger there that both Annie and Armin noticed. “Well, you’d better remember something useful, because every instant you waste is another instant the Armored Titan could use to smash the inner gate to rubble!” He swung back to Eren. “Do you want to be responsible for the downfall of humanity, Jaeger?”

The boy shook his head, “No, sir!”

“Then give us that key!”

Eren pulled the leather cord from around his neck and tossed it at the commander with desperate hope on his face. The jangle of metal on stone was loud in the sudden silence as one of the Garrison soldiers darted out and returned the item to Kitz. “An interesting story,” he mused. “If only we had a way to confirm it.”

Annie shot a look at Mikasa, the normally immovable girl who was shaking like a leaf. Armin reached up and patted her on the shoulder with his free hand, and she spared a moment to smile at him as Armin spoke once more. “Commander, please, a Titan could easily help us block the hole in the gates of Trost! His strategic value would be-“

Adjuant Brezinska who had circled around behind her commander, eyes watching the trainees, interrupted. “As soldiers, you all know the price of your position. If you’re truly willing to stand with Eren Jaeger, this meaningless defiance, then so be it! Commander, none of them have surrendered, so it’s just a matter of time before Jaeger transforms again. Look, they’re just biding time!”

“It’s hard to surrender when you’ve already turned your blades against us!” said Armin. We’re not going to fight you! Why would we? Inside the Walls, there’s be nowhere left to run!”

 _Not exactly,_ thought Reiner.

Armin kept going. “None of us understand what is happening! Walls, you keep calling us trainees, how would we know any more than you do Sergeant?”

Eren was staring, horrified at his bare arm. More specifically at the sleeve that ended, ragged and torn, at his elbow. He remembered teeth coming down on it, sliding down into searing acid and painful heat. Drifting on bodies he had eaten breakfast with…”Did my arm grow back?” he asked no one in particular.

“Enough!” shouted Kitz. “Cannons, open fire!”

Deep inside Eren, the Founding Titan grinned through the gaping wounds Karl Fritz was piling onto its soul and flicked one finger in a gesture of command. On the surface of Eren’s mind, the Attack Titan gave a bellow of effort as the lock holding back his memories released with a crackle of golden electricity.

_Eren, I’m sorry. You won’t remember my explanation, because I’m going to give you a little something to make you forget. When the time comes, you must reclaim Wall Maria and head towards our basement. I have to believe, no I know, this is for the best!_

_When you’re lost and confused, let their memories act as a guide. One day, you will know the truth, and when that day comes, the choices will be yours to make! It will be a painful journey, but if you want to protect Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else, you must master this power!_

Operating off instinct and the Attack Titan's frantic screams, Eren bit down on his hand.

____________________________________________________________

Mikasa Ackerman’s endocrine system went into overdrive, adrenaline, catecholamine, and other more exotic stimulants racing through her brain and slowing her perception of time. Her plan was to grab Eren and Armin and dive sideways, hoping she would have enough distance to clear the lip of Wall Rose before the cannonballs killed them. It was a slim chance, but it was all she had. She saw Reiner’s look of horror harden to one of determination as he bit down on his own lip and held up both hands in a futile attempt to block.

Annie knew she and Reiner had been playing this by ear from the very beginning, but this was the closest she’d ever been to going home. Eren was right there, on Armin’s other side, a Titan Shifter of unknown origin, save for Grisha Jaeger’s mysterious basement. He was her mission. Armin, well, he wasn’t part of her mission at all. Was an active threat actually, considering Reiner’s comments in the gas storage room. But he was clinging to her in terror, blue eyes wide open as he stared down death. _We_ , he had said. _We_ don’t know anything. Annie was a cynic, she knew any _we_ was temporary and could not stand against the pressure Marley brought to bear. Martial, social, technological, Marley was superior to Paradis in every way. Hadn’t she already risked her father enough for him?

But he was still holding her hand. He expected to die and he hadn’t let go. Actually, he was holding her in a white-knuckle grip as Mikasa dragged them towards the edge of the circle.

Annie was almost surprised when her leg swept out and kicked a Garrison member back over the lip of the wall. Nonetheless, she found her stride and kept charging forward, dragging Eren and Armin between them. As they jumped, she flicked her hand and the ring her father had given her five years ago drew blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, weird. I swear it took way longer to write this chapter than it did to read it. I kind of went on a writing binge the last two days and last night I hyperfocused from 5PM until 2AM writing the chapters after this one! 
> 
> I know the whole point of the Kitz Weilman character was to demonstrate that humans react to the unknown with fear, paranoia, and are aggressive, but Kitz was really pushing for Eren’s death no matter what, which made me suspect he had something else going on. Also, oh no Eren! You gave the Plot Coupon away! Originally the Titanbreak was going to happen here, but like I said, we're going off the reservation now! Wait, now I have to figure out how that works with Paths and Eren's stable time loops and ahh this is why time-travel stories are hard folks! No worries, I've got Something. Not as elegant as Isyama usually is, but :/
> 
> I was going to have Younger Eren go meet Older Eren and Ymir instead since the Attack Titan was driving the body, but when I rewatched the episode, the smash cut of Eren saying "kill them all" to Armin's WTF face was too good. I had to leave it in.
> 
> Clarification: Reiner's Soldier/Warrior personalities aren't actually separate people, they're just different mindsets where he selectively represses parts of his life. I was super disappointed that this plot point was dropped once Zeke met up with them. Presumably because back among Marleyans the Soldier couldn't keep up the deception and was overwhelmed by the Warrior, but still. Would've loved to see Reiner's makeshift therapy sessions with Zeke.  
> "War Chief, am I a bad person?"  
> Zeke, tapping a pencil against Reiner's forehead. "Well, did you sell your parents into Mindlessness for a monkey? Are you planning a hideous ethnic cleansing?"  
> "N-No?"  
> "Well, there you go!"  
> "I'd like a referral, please."


	17. The Slaughter at Trost: No Way Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warriors and the Shiganshina Trio risk it all to save Eren.

Halfway up Wall Rose with the rest of the Garrison, Bertholdt and Jean looked up to see the Wall erupt in a storm of lightning and smoke as a peal of thunder split the air. Two massive figures fell from the smoke as brown-jacketed figures quickly grappled onto them mid-fall. A skinless, blonde, unmistakably Female Titan had dug one arm into the wall and was carving deep furrows in the stone to slow her fall. The other, more familiar brown haired Titan groaned as it kept falling, fingers tearing themselves down to the bone as it tried the same trick, without success. The Female Titan’s hand flashed out and caught Eren’s Titan by the hair as it passed her, wrenching them both off the Wall and into a tremendous crash at its foot. The impact sent several of the Garrison members tumbling away as weaker grappling points came loose.

“Bertholdt!” called a voice. “Let’s go!”

The two Titans were picking themselves up, steam pouring from shattered ankles and arms as they rebuilt themselves. The Garrison members around them were leaping off the Walls, searching for grapple points in Trost below them, but this close to the Wall, there were few tall buildings. Jean turned to the boy whose sleeping patterns he’d used to predict the weather for years as Bertholdt gave a weak grin. “Sorry Jean,” he said. “Cover for us?”

As Jean struggled to come up with a sentence like “Cover for what?” or even just a really vile curse, Bertholdt jumped from the Wall, grappling the Female Titan’s arm as he scurried up to her shoulder. Three Garrison soldiers tried to follow him, but the Titan lashed out and air currents sent them spinning away as they tried to orient themselves.

Neurons fired in Jean’s brain as he finally realized what had happened, as the events of the day suddenly made a horrible kind of sense. Their intense interest in Eren, even all the way back in the first weeks of training. Annie’s close-combat techniques. Bertholdt’s avoidance of any details about his hometown. His hands clenched around swords to stop them trembling. “Eren…Bertholdt…Reiner…You damn TRAITORS!”

_______________________________________________

Eren looked out at the world with new eyes. He glanced to the side at the blonde Titan who had saved him as his brain connected the dots. Blonde, blue eyes, breasts, Armin waving at him as he clung to a strand of her hair. Annie?

Annie was a Titan?

“Eren!” came a voice in his ear. He looked to the side and saw Mikasa stumbling backwards off his shoulder and it was the easiest thing in the world to reach out and catch her in a massive hand. “Can you hear me?”

 _Of course I can hear you,_ he tried to say, but his mouth clacked together and produced a low growl. He was about to try again when something sped past and pain bloomed on his neck. He clasped a hand to stem the bleeding and saw the Female Titan copy the motion. She saw him and nodded, then began to run towards the oncoming Titans as another figure in brown and unmistakably blonde detached itself from her back and waved at him. Reiner! Two more brown streaks trailing gas intercepted him in midair and the clank of swords clashing could be heard clearly. Eren’s eyebrows came together and the conclusion was obvious. Help his friend.

He stomped forwards, gently launching Mikasa as her red scarf trailed behind her. More pain as his thighs were cut inexpertly and Eren began to run, one hand covering his neck. If it was the Titans weak spot, then it was his as well. More brown streaks began to appear in the corners of his vision as someone screamed in front of him. Eren waved his stray arm frantically behind him, hoping he wouldn’t hit anyone, but trying to drive away the people who’d been his comrades until-

Eren turned on his heel and stared back as the Garrison descended upon him, hands held up in a warding gesture. _Stop!_ He wanted to scream. _I don’t want to hurt you!_

This line of thought abruptly ended when Jean embedded both blades into his left eye up to the hilt in a fountain of blood.

“What the hell Jaeger!” yelled his rival, already drawing new blades from his waist as he spun back out of reach. “Were you planning this all along?”

Eren roared in pain and shook his head, half-blind as the Garrison descended upon him. He heard a high, sharp whistle and Reiner, faint but unmistakable, call for cover. A storm of roof tiles and shards of rock flew past his ear and turned several of the Garrison into red smears. They broke off their attack, Keitz yelling something about reinforcements and Eren turned to look back into Annie’s eyes. There was an instant of regret there, even on the face of a Titan, but there was a core of steel that said she’d do it again if necessary. Besides, she’d saved him from-

“Jean!” called Mikasa from a nearby roof as she fended him off, “What are you doing?”

“What are you?” he fired back as Mikasa blocked his descending strike. “Why’d you choose Eren?”

Mikasa kicked him in the groin and he collapsed onto the tile as Eren approached. Jean clenched his teeth at the eternal skull grin clearly mocking him. The giant held out a hand as Mikasa and Reiner jumped on, bringing them close to his head as they spoke.

Reiner’s voice was worried, urgent. “Eren, we’ve got to get out of here! Half the Walls are going to come down on us before long, and I don’t plan on sticking around to find out how they intend to kill us.”

Eren hesitated and his bright green eyes flicked over to Jean. “Go ahead, run away,” wheezed the trainee as he pulled air back into his lungs. “Prove me right.”

Long white fingers gently turned Eren’s Titan back towards Annie’s. _“Time to go”_ she said in a rasp, Armin and Bertholdt perched on her shoulders. Eren’s Titan shook his head and bent down, drawing a circle with his hand and pointing West.

“Yeah, Eren!” cheered Armin, who looked actually hopeful for the first time since the gas storage room. Her turned to Annie with stars in his eyes. “If both of you work together, you can plug up the hole in Trost’s gate with that boulder I mentioned. It’ll prove once and for all we’re on Humanity’s side!”

Eren’s massive head nodded and his facial muscles crinkled in what might’ve been a smile while Reiner frowned and scratched his chin. “I don’t know, we’d have to defend them from both the Titans and any soldiers who came after us. It’s risky.”

“It would also stop them from following us through the gate on horses, “ said Armin. “We need to buy time to talk, anyway.”

Reiner met Armin’s eyes which were full of determination and that unquenchable desire for knowledge. Everyone had questions, but for now, they were all stuck in the same boat.

“Fine,” ground Reiner. “But if we need to go, Eren,” he turned to the giant waiting quietly nearby, “You have to be willing to run.”

Eren rolled his eyes and stomped away despite Reiner’s protests, Annie trailing along behind him and clearly not happy about it, if the foot stomp that cratered the street was any indication.

 _My Shifter doesn’t run from things,_ said the Attack Titan. _He runs toward them._

 _Because that’s worked out well for you so far,_ sniped his sister.

Jean stood there, frozen for a time until he heard footfalls. A Mindless Titan approached him, eyes an empty stare as it reached for him. Jean grinned in a way that was distinctly Eren and picked up his swords. At least now he had an outlet for all these emotions.

~~______________________________________~~

“Alright, on three!” urged Armin from a nearby rooftop as Mikasa and Reiner streaked across in a holding pattern two blocks East. Eren and Annie bent and dug their fingers around the enormous boulder covered in moss. Eren noticed Annie’s fingertips hardened into something that looked like diamond and dug into the rock for a better grip. _I have to learn that,_ thought Eren absently. Then they were lifting and there were no more thoughts, just pain and determination.

“Let’s go Bertholdt,” said Armin before the thought actually registered in his brain. “Wait, Bertholdt?”

The taller boy turned, soaked in sweat. “What?”

“Why’re you here?”

“Well, you know me,” said the boy with a nervous laugh. “Reiner and I are joined at the hip!”

A loud horn sounded and both of them looked up to see an absolute swarm of soldiers jump off of the gates. At least a third detatched and moved in their direction. Armin was about to go after Eren himself, but Bertholdt stopped him. “Wait, Armin.”

The larger boy shrugged out of his brown jacket, passing his blade handles through the sleeves. “We’re gonna need something to identify our side, if things get down to close quarters.” He rolled it up and tied it around his arm, letting the stark white of his undershirt stand out. “This’ll do for now.”

“So there’s already sides,” mused Armin as he twisted to follow suit. “Do you think we can get out of here without killing anymore of our people? Jean, Connie, Krista, and the rest of the 104th?” His heart felt suddenly like a lead weight in his chest, as did his blades. “I hope we don’t.”

Bertholdt’s expression was grim as he tied the brown armband tight. “Something tells me we’re well past that.”

______________________________________

 _Oh Mother this is heavy,_ groaned the Attack Titan. _Armor, can’t you give us a hand?_

 _I left mine on top of Wall Rose,_ said his brother as Reiner sped past, hamstringing a Titan that Armin killed in turn. _Shattered those cannonballs and gave you, Sis, and the Guardian the seconds needed to clear the Wall. Besides, Braun doesn’t want to show himself just yet._

 _Impressive thinking on your Shifter’s part,_ said the Colossal Titan, who was anxiously watching the approaching swarm of soldiers. They were starting to get bogged down in the Mindless Titans that Eren and Annie’s march was drawing, and it was a slaughter already. Still… _They won’t make it to the gate before the soldiers catch up, and some of them are wearing Survey Corps green._

 _I have no desire to be vivisected again,_ said the Female Titan as Annie adjusted her grip on the rock.

 _Wait, when did that happen?_ asked the Guardian, but the Female Titan didn’t respond.

They were two blocks from the entrance Bertholdt had blasted that morning when the forces of Paradis arrived. Eren’s first clue came when he felt the blades carve through the skin of his neck and he ducked reflexively. He had a brief moment of dissonance as he felt the swords carve away the hair and scalp of his actual body inside the Titan, the pain causing him to drop the boulder with a howl of pain. He put one hand on his neck, could feel the breeze waft into the interior of his Titan through the cut, and plucked out the wires that had just attached to his shoulder. Eren didn’t recognize the man at the end, but his frightened expression was all too familiar. Hoping he was gentle enough, Eren tossed the man to the ground and made a shooing motion.

“Miche!” someone called, but the man was frozen, staring up at him. Eren shook his head and put his shoulder to the stone as he pushed with every ounce of his strength. On the other side of the boulder, the Female Titan was wobbly on her feet as they regenerated. Eren had dropped a boulder on them, after all. Still, she was tearing her way through the two smaller Titans that had crept close below the roofline when she saw the Garrison and Survey Corps soldiers swing around. She resisted the urge to groan and looked wistfully at the open gate, which at least had no Titans pouring through. There were plenty in Trost already. Titans she’d called, how was that for irony?

 _That was way too close,_ hissed the Attack Titan as the hole in his neck sealed with a flash of steam. _C’mon Eren, where’s that killer spirit you had back in that cabin_?

Another Survey Corps soldier flashed by, carving a furrow in Eren’s forehead, but the boy ignored it. “Give up, son!” he heard a strong clear voice call out, followed by Armin’s cry of pain. His hearing must’ve been unusually sharp, because suddenly he knew exactly where that voice was coming from, and he saw a tall blonde man in Survey Corps green standing over Armin with a bloody sword as his best friend scrabbled backwards, one hand held to his side.

Eren abandoned the boulder and roared his outrage alongside the Attack Titan, a wordless declaration of protection. _You will not touch him!_

His fist hammered down on the space where the man had been, only to sweep Armin up, cradling him almost like a doll as he put his back to the boulder and pushed with his legs alone. Armin gave a shaky smile at the Titan’s concerned expression. “Don’t worry about it, Eren,” he said, winding his brown jacket over whatever bloody wound he’d sustained on his arm. “We’re almost done, keep going!”

 _Who the flying fuck are you people?_ called a distant, but definitely new voice as cheers rang out and in the distance, Titans began to fall like dominoes. “Humanity’s strongest!”

“Captain Levi’s here!”

A man with dingy hair grinned at Mikasa as he disengaged midair. “You Titan-lovers are screwed now! Serves you right!” The Guardian looked up, following the direction of something that felt almost familiar. A song at the edge of her hearing. A vibration in her own Paths as memories began to pour in. _Oh no,_ she groaned. _They have their own Ackerman._

The flood of curses that poured in from every single Titan Will, including a restrained one from the Colossal Titan, meant they understood the kind of thrashing they were in for. Reiner had just killed several soldiers and Titans alike with blades and was absolutely covered in blood, so he cut an imposing figure as he landed on top of the boulder. “Eren!” he shouted, “We have to go!” A Garrison member cut through several of the fingers protecting Eren’s neck on a risky pass and he instinctively reared back, smashing the man against the rock. Braun’s voice took on a worried tone as Eren still kept pushing, putting his neck flat against the boulder as he used both hands, slowly regenerating with green fire, to push backwards. “They’re gonna cut you to pieces, you can’t die here! I won’t lose you!”

 _Oh Mother,_ sighed Armor, _He’s talking to Marcel._

_Do we look alike?_

_Not in the slightest._

_Your boy needs therapy._

On the other side, Bertholdt had two broken pieces of someone’s sword in his gut and was down to his last pair of blades. Annie had locked one crystalline hand in the boulder and was plodding forward with gritted teeth. The gate was right there, they could reach out and touch it, but-

She slapped a soldier out of the sky as he made a run for her neck and ignored the way he scattered across the dirt at her feet. Hopefully that dissuaded any more, but it hadn’t stopped the last dozen either. Mikasa latched on to the stonework on her left and threw her last blade past Annie’s shoulder. Someone cried out and that got a nod from the Female Titan. _“Get Eren through the gate, he’ll listen to you,”_ she said, her mouth struggling to form the words _. “I’ll pull it shut.”_

Mikasa passed over her head, calling for Eren as Bertholdt cast a grateful look at Annie. She rolled her eyes and silently questioned why she was going to all this trouble for a couple of Eldian idiots.

“Sorry, Annie, but I know you need two hands for this!” Armin landed on her head and fell to his knees almost at once before twining his hands into her hair. “Bertholdt, go help Eren, I’ll take lookout!”

 _Ah yes_ , she thought, hoping her Titan couldn’t blush. There was that.

_______________________________________

Levi Ackerman landed on the warehouse roof with the grace of a hummingbird and the menace of a Grim Reaper. “Petra, report. What’s with the big-ass boulder?”

 _Um, Hi!_ A very young-looking spirit waved in Levi’s direction, though none of the members of the Survey Corps could see it. A tall, thin, and heavily scarred woman unfolded out of Levi’s head and crossed her arms skeptically. _Again, what the fuck are you? Are you causing this buzzing in our head? It’s damn annoying!_

_Kind of? We’re both Guardians, and I guess we haven’t formally met. I’m twelfth generation, second branch and my Ackerman’s Mikasa, who’s yours?_

_My son,_ said the Will with emphasis, _is Levi Ackerman. Now, are you gonna surrender and explain what a Guardian is, or are we going to have to put you in your place?_

The Armored and Colossal Titans exploded outward into towering, invisible giants as Armor breathed concentrated flame in an intimidation display. _She is under our protection,_ said the Colossal Titan. _Or has the Ackerman Clan fallen so low, they have forgotten who We are?_

The silver Will stared all the way up, eyes travelling the distance between her own form and the mightiest of the Nine before her black eyes narrowed. _Bring it, lard-ass._

She charged and the Warrior Titans met her halfway in an explosion of armor plating, fire, and silver wire. In the physical world, Levi was looking with concern as Gunther wrenched Mikasa’s last blade from his shoulder. “Like I said Captain, it’s a weird picture.”

Petra kept her eyes fixed on Eren, and the heated argument taking place at the Titan’s nape. None of them could hear it, but they could tell the teenagers clustered there were nearing their wit’s end. One very stupid grey-haired woman in Garrison roses tried to scatter them. Without missing a beat, the girl with the scarf caught her blade between bare palms, snapped it in half, and stabbed her opponent with the broken piece. Oluo winced next to her and tried to put on a brave face. “They’re only kids, right Captain? We can take’em. The green-eyed bastard especially.”

He wiggled his blades. “That flesh is just begging to be sliced up.”

“Don’t get cocky Oluo,” said Levi. “That’s how you get killed. I’ve got the girls, the rest of you, take Green Eyes. If those idiots over there get in the way, take them out however you can.”

“Right!” his squad chorused, though none of them looked happy about it. Still, they knew their duty. Satisfied, Levi led the charge, slipping into the slowed time of battle like his favorite ascot. He saw the girl with the scarf, face set in a determined glare, actually turn her head to follow him as he circled around the boulder. That was something only Mike had ever been able to do, so this girl was something special. The Female Titan lashed out with her free hand, but Levi was already spinning, carving an opportunistic line across her arm, only to find his blades in pieces. He looked back to see a patch of blueish crystal slowly recede from the Titan’s forearm and frowned. More trouble.

Levi slowed his spin and rotated in midair as his left grapple found a point on Wall Rose to swing to, and the girl wasn’t far behind, landing in a sideways crouch along the wall that mirrored his own almost exactly. ”Who are you?” he demanded.

“Mikasa Ackerman of the 104th, said the girl with a glare. “How are you moving like that?”

“Trade secret,” he quipped. “Look kid, this is all pretty crazy, why don’t you just surrender? I’m sure Commander Erwin can swing some kind of plea deal-“

“Commander Erwin hurt my friend,” hissed Mikasa as she raised her blades. “Why should I trust him?”

“Can you trust her?” asked Levi as he pointed his sword at the Female Titan. She turned to look and that was when he struck, launching off the wall with all the force of his gas and powerful legs, aiming to knock her out in one swift blow to the temple.

Mikasa’s handle came up, slapping the blade away and then they were tumbling away into thin air as they grappled. Their Guardians battled around them silently, the younger Will’s swords turning away or grating horribly against the scarred woman’s wires.

 _Don’t make me fight you!_ said Mikasa’s Guardian. _Then don’t resist_ , drawled her opponent. _I already diced up your ugly buddies, after all._ The younger Ackerman looked around and realized she couldn’t see either the Colossal or the Armored. She could barely feel them, flickering embers deep inside the human forms fending off green blurs from Eren’s Titan.

Mikasa kept having strange flashes as they fell, blows that were going to come, so she moved to counter, only for her opponent to change direction mid-strike and from confusion on his face, something similar was happening to him. She punched him in the face, he chopped her throat with a knife-hand. She headbutted him and he drew a knife from somewhere that barely missed her stomach but cut one of her harness straps. Mikasa forced him away with a double kick as she saw Eren, heavily wounded, missing an eye and a hand, back into the gate as he carried Reiner and Bertholdt in his arms. She turned and blasted back to them on what felt like the last reserves of both her gas and her energy, collapsing into Eren’s hand and breathing hard.

She knew it was arrogant, but Annie couldn’t resist a grin as she slid Eren’s damnable boulder home and heard the dark-haired Captain’s blades shatter on the rock. He’d been going for her eyes, just like Jean had with Eren, but even with that incredible speed, he was just too slow. She could see him gazing through the small crack between the rock and the gate, fury and frustration rolling off him in waves.

“Sorry!” she heard Armin call out from her head, and he sounded as if he meant it. She waved cheekily at the tiny man and strode off after Eren, who was once again killing the unfortunate Mindless Titan nearby with his teeth. _See you never, I hope._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, so lot's changed since my last chapter. I live in Washington DC and just...holy crap. I''ll spare you my political fury, but my sense of security has been shattered. Back to notes:
> 
> So Jean got to take Eren's role in S2E6, but I'll do my best not to make him a generic rival character and Mike remains easily shocked by Titan Shifters. Hopefully everyone remains in-character,but I think even Levi would've difficulty killing a teenage girl who wasn't actively fighting him. But Mikasa's a tough customer herself. :)  
> Meanwhile, the Warriors straight-up panic and everyone's making bad decisions for varied reasons. Because there's so much action, the Titan Wills get less play here, sorry. The idea in the fight of Ackerman vs Ackerman is that both Guardians read body language and use precognition against each other, resulting in a battle where the Will powers cancel each other out. "You see what I'm going to do, so I change that, and you change what you'll do in response to that, etc."


	18. Lingering Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the reveal and escape of mysterious Titan Shifters, the remaining members of the 104th are scattered to the winds as the Legions of the Walls attempt to formulate a response.

Wall Rose, Trost District

As Levi nearly flew up the sheer cliff of Wall Rose, two horn blasts rang out from the other side of the city, followed by a yellow smoke signal. The sign to fall back and reassess. He didn’t care. His grappling hooks barely planted themselves in stone before he was launching himself past them, momentum and half a tank of gas working against gravity, straight up in a line. He soared up, over the top of the Wall and hung there, weightless as the sunset spread out below him. Vivid pinks, oranges, and purples, a stunning view for someone who had spent most of their life underground. He drank it in and the burning need to catch up calmed a little.

He fell and landed with a burst of gas on the stone, striding over to the opposite side, searching.

There.

The blonde Titan had caught up with the brunette, who turned to her and groaned in relief. His entire body seemed to sag before he drew himself up again. Then they both looked back towards the Wall, lingering just as Levi was, before turning away once more. The Captain of the Survey Corps watched as they moved through the ivy-covered houses that had once belonged to humans, threading their way through carefully, occasionally bending to peer inside or to place someone in a window. Soon, others joined him. His squad, first, all nursing wounds. Petra tended to Levi’s own, including the nasty shiner he’d gotten from that headbutt while Oluo clucked over them all like a mother hen. Next arrived a scattering of Survey Corps and Garrison soldiers who peered over to follow the Titans progress. They were too far away to reach with gas now.

Last, when the fugitive Titans were almost out of sight entirely, arrived Erwin Smith and Dot Pixis. The older man took a swig of something so alcoholic Levi could smell it from feet away and stowed his hip flask. “So, you saw her up close, Captain Levi?”

“Who?” said Levi, startled out of his reverie. “That girlie Titan?”

“Exactly the one!” said Pixis with relish. “What was your impression? Did you get her bust size?”

Levi had a difficult time telling if Dot Pixis had a sense of humor. Erwin said he did, and Levi trusted Erwin, but at times like these, he wondered if the commanding officer of the Garrison was just a bit cracked in the head. He looked back out over the landscape Humanity had once claimed. “She had tits, yeah.”

“Not very impressive ones,” said Eld, gesturing. “You think that’s why some of her skin was missing? That material went into creating her bust?”

Levi was trying to engage as little as possible, so he just shrugged. Pixis’s next question was razor sharp and his gaze drilled into Levi. “Your combat assessment?”

“Profoundly dangerous,” said Levi at once. “She can harden her skin into something like crystal and uses it to reinforce bits she wants to stay on. I ruined blades on her arm dragging that big-ass rock and her nape. Fast too, she nearly caught me, and I had to carve my way out.” He paused, collecting his thoughts and met Erwin’s eyes. “You could throw half a battalion at her, and she’d kill them all easily. Sending my squad and I together was the right choice. They took on the other one, Green Eyes.”

Erwin gave a little half-smile. ”As good a name as any, I suppose. Gunter, Eld, Petra, describe your engagement.”

“Reluctantly hostile,” was Eld’s assessment. “Sure, the bastard killed a couple of people, but he had plenty of shots he didn’t take. Just kept pushing that rock even when we were carving him up like a Solstice ham. I even tried baiting him with a slow, lazy flyby at half speed and took a chunk out of his forehead, nowhere near anything vital. Ignored me like I wasn’t even there.”

Petra was wringing her hands. “Even among Aberrants, he was pretty freaky. He clearly kept trying to follow the fight, I saw his eyes tracking us and his friends. I think-“

She hesitated, glancing at Pixis.

“Speak freely, Petra,” urged Erwin. “Any insight could be valuable.”

“When you disarmed the blonde one, Arlert, and he screamed. I swear, the Titan flinched. Like he was surprised by it or something.”

“Oluo?” asked Erwin. The man in question opened his mouth to answer and promptly bit his tongue. After a brief interval full of moans of pain instead of words, he answered. “Stronger than the average Titan, and they’re already pretty damn strong. He was lifting most of that boulder on his own and Princess was using those claws of hers to get a better grip.” He caught Eld’s stare and shrugged. “What, she looked like a princess to me! Anyway, Green Eyes also healed faster than other Titans, otherwise he would have collapsed. Plus, he was healing important stuff first, his arms, his legs, all the stuff he was using to stay upright. He left Eld’s head wound alone and his eye wasn’t regenerating.”

Oluo looked around at them. “Who did that by the way? Good idea, leaving the blades in so regeneration can’t work.”

He got blank stares in return, before someone behind them cleared their throat. Some Garrison officer with sunken eyes puffed up his chest and guided a suddenly uncertain Jean Kierstein forward. “Sergeant Kitz Weilman and Cadet Jean Kierstein,” he introduced. “And that wound is thanks to this young man here.” He slapped Jean on the back. “Without Adjuant Brezinska at my side, I would suggest promoting someone like him. Someone loyal to Humanity and who shows initiative. Even when we came under bombardment, he kept going and forced the Titan Eren Jaeger to retreat.”

Jean opened his mouth to object, and closed it again, aware very suddenly of who he was looking at. Dot Pixis and Erwin Smith, two men who had been celebrated in Wall Sina by the King himself! And over there was Captain Levi! He’d heard Eren cheer his name while reading the newspaper dozens of times…The thought of Eren, his retreating back as Mikasa, Reiner, and people Jean had thought at least liked him, disappeared without a backward glance. Well, that stung in a way he hadn’t expected.

Jean cleared his throat. “Sirs, I guess I should start from the beginning…”

_________________________________________

Ymir tugged down the bandanna around her forehead and took a long swig of her water. The leather sack drained quickly, and she polished it off with a sigh of satisfaction. Burning bodies was thirsty work, let alone collecting them, and she tried not to think about what or who she was picking up and putting on the cart behind them. For once, Marco and Krista’s customary cheer was gone, and she didn’t feel like talking herself. They were working their way up what had once been a market square and was now the aftermath of a massacre. A Garrison regiment had gone up against a mob of Titans and they had lost, the two forces tearing one another to pieces as they fought to get at their true prize. Namely, the two Titans who had fought off all challengers and sealed the gate behind them.

“So, do you believe him?”

They turned to Marco as he thew a severed arm onto their cart. “Jean, I mean.”

Connie shook his head. ”It all sounds pretty crazy, I think the stress has gone to his head. He probably saw Eren and Annie die and couldn’t take it.”

“But-but what about Mikasa and Bertholdt, and everyone else?” asked Krista as she pushed from the rear of the cart. “He was angry at them, but I can’t believe Reiner would do something like that, or Armin. They were always so nice…”

Despite Kitz Weilman and Dot Pixis’s best efforts, the surviving Garrison soldiers had talked, and the rumors had spread across the ruins of Trost like wildfire. Wild stories of cackling Trainees spitting unprepared soldiers on swords or bulging out into Titans ran amok and the 104th was now an object of suspicion. Ymir could sense there were soldiers on the roofs, watching their little group, and she knew their paranoia was justified. She cursed in the silence of her mind and reached over to brush a lock of Krista’s hair behind her ear.

“At this point, I don’t think anyone knows what to believe. Remember, the same asshole who “caught” them,” she mimed quotations with her fingers, (A gesture she was surprised the Walls had as well) “was also the same guy who kept his own butt way behind the lines to avoid fighting Titans. Remember this morning?”

“Ughhh,” Connie groaned as he and Marco heaved a slimy pile of half-digested remains into the cart, which sagged under the weight. “I can barely think at all Ymir. Let’s just get this done, I wanna go to bed.”

Marco had bags under his eyes that marred his freckles. “We’re close to the weight limit anyway Connie and we’re losing the light. Let’s get back.” The four of them heaved the cart around and began to move in an eerie echo of the movement the two Titans had accomplished earlier that day with the boulder. Marco and Krista dragged the cart behind them, while Ymir and Connie pushed. The smell and the foul taste of the air this close to the cart meant no one was talking, and Ymir stewed in her own thoughts as they pushed.

She’d been one of the Mindless for sixty years, an endless nightmare where her limbs moved on their own and any impressions she had were vague, repetitive, and often painful. But she’d eaten someone, one small form shoving another out of the way, and she’d woken up in the desert with a magnificent aurora stretching out above her. Now, she was one of the Legendary Nine, a position she’d never wanted or had need of. All she cared about at first was living for herself, having a good time, enjoying every moment of the life she’d been given. Krista had been a means to that end, an insurance policy and potential meal ticket. But somewhere along the line, in between the mutual admonishments, the headbutts, the teasing, the girl had become something more to her. If Ymir had to guess, it might’ve been on that snowy mountainside during training. When she’d seen how far Krista had been willing to go, how much she was willing to sacrifice to save others in a paradoxically selfish desire to be a good person, Ymir had taken drastic measures of her own. That night, she’d risked everything to transform barely out of sight of Krista, dragging the unconscious Daz down a sheer cliff edge. “It would take a miracle to save him,” she’d said and well, the Nine Titans specialized in miracles. Krista was her own kind of miracle, someone who wasn’t good at all, but who made Ymir want to be. She’d fallen in love and was smart enough to know how stupid that was. To be fair, the amazing broom closet sex they’d had earlier in the day might’ve been skewing her judgement.

She’d asked Hannah, once, what her plan was, falling in love with Franz during training and promising to get married once they graduated. Was she trying to get preggers to avoid being a soldier? Was she simply horny? But Hannah had chuckled a little at Ymir’s attempts to get a rise out of her and said “The heart wants what the heart wants. Trying to change that is futile, so sometimes it’s best to go with it.” Ymir was too cynical to understand that, there were too many bastards in the world who could attest to the poor results of such reasoning. But, when she looked at Krista, she wanted to believe. She’d been the figurehead of a cult for seven, maybe eight years, but only now, pushing a cart full of corpses down the street, did Ymir think she truly understood faith.

The idiots who’d sided with Eren and Annie, two more of the Nine hiding in their midst all along, they had some kind of faith. In the Nine, in Marley, or maybe the promise of Old Eldia that Ymir herself had once represented, maybe just that their friends, no matter what form, meant well. All of it, ludicrous idealism that had caused several hundred members of the Garrison, the Scouting Legion, and the 104th to throw themselves into”The Slaughter at Trost”. Still, Ymir found herself wondering, if she’d been forced to use her Titan to save Krista’s life, how would she react?

Soon enough they arrived at the vast bonfires at the center of Trost, where their gruesome cargo was piled into the flames, one of the last to arrive. The rest of the 104th was there as well, still in their Trainee jackets, but the edges of the courtyard were surrounded by Garrison and-

A chill went up Ymir’s spine.

Military Police, and lots of them, armed with rifles and blades in equal distribution. She grabbed Krista and Marco’s arms and dragged them behind her, despite their protests. “Let’s get into the crowd,” she muttered.

“Ah, Ymir, what are you doing?”

“Yeah, what gives?”

“I’m cold, and don’t exactly fancy standing next to that fire,” she said. She let go of them once they were in the middle of the crowd and rubbed her arms performatively. “There, that’s better, with all this body heat. Who knew Shadis’s winter survival lessons were gonna come in handy for once?”

Krista looked out at the Military Police and shivered. “Who knew?”

They loitered around, stomachs rumbling but no one felt much like eating. Even Sasha, who had rapturously embraced Connie, crying tears of joy, refused to eat the bread the MP’s handed out. She actually slid it into her jacket and said she’d save it for later. That, more than anything, killed the mood of the 104th more effectively than anything the MP’s had planned. They’d retaken Trost from the Titans, but the cost was too high, the implications too terrible for any of the trainees to considerate a victory. Half of the people who’d led them through training, taught them like Armin and Bertholdt, inspired them like Reiner or Eren, or who were badass enough to lead humanity to victory (the monster duo of Mikasa and Annie), were gone. Either dead, traitors, or part of some secret government experiment depending on who you believed.

The mood switched from despair to confusion when a silver-haired man in a longcoat climbed on top of the stage they’d graduated from barely two days ago and cleared his throat.

“Attention Trainees and Graduates!”

They looked up, but only Marco recognized him. “That’s Darius Zackley, the Commander in Chief!”

He held up a sheaf of paper and peered at in the firelight. “First, in light of the events that unfolded here during the Battle of Trost and the loss of several of the Top 10 Candidates, membership of the Military Police will be expanded to the next five candidates who ranked high enough in final placement. Provided, of course, they survived the battle.”

Ymir’s heart soared. She’d strategically flunked two of her final practical tests so Krista could pass her in the rankings, letting her get safely into Wall Sina and far from any Titans or Marleyan attacks, but now…

She looked down to see Krista staring back up. Ymir grinned and threw an arm around her. “Isn’t that great Krista? We can finally join the Military Police together! Give me a month and I’ll have enough jewels to propose.”

Krista blushed. “Isn’t that inappropriate to say at a funeral?”

“Tch, maybe. But we’re not dead yet, are we?”

Krista hugged her back. _Maybe this world inside the Walls isn’t so bad,_ thought Ymir. _Just let us be happy, just for a little while. Haven’t we earned the right to be selfish?_

Inside Ymir, Jaw was trying very hard not to be bitter. She’d seen how that had warped the Cart Titan and didn’t want to lose her role as the endearing younger sibling among the Nine. Sure, her siblings had left without saying goodbye, but the Warriors had no reason to visit Ymir or any idea where the Jaw Titan was in the first place. Even the Attack Titan, who had shared things with her alone, had left. She’d been alone before, of course, when she’d been with Ymir before, not to mention long-distance exploratory trips in the early years of the Nine. The days when the world was young and everything was new, when the solitude held the promise of a return to her family at the end. Now, she thought back to the Attack Titan’s words spoken in confidence in a classroom years before: _We’ve reached the end of the line. The last few Shifters any of us will ever have, are nearly all born. My sight can go no further forward if there are no more Shifters after Eren._

 _No more Shifters,_ Jaw muttered to herself. _Then what’s going to happen to us?_

She hoped Mother would at least let them die together, so they could be happy before the end.

 _Yo, yo, yo!_ called a languid drawl. _Who’re you, little Titan lady?_

Jaw spun on the spot; fangs bared as a thin bearded man tossed a silver wine bottle in an ethereal hand. _I’m an Ackerman Guardian, main branch, tenth generation. My Kenny’s around here somewhere, but he’s a tool._

 _Jaw Titan,_ muttered Ymir’s Will. _I’m one of the Nine._

 _Well, isn’t that interesting,_ said Kenny’s Guardian. _All your buddies left without you, didn’t they? Feeling lonely? Up for a chat? Nah?_

Jaw bared her teeth as something about the probing questions rubbed her the wrong way and suddenly, she realized what it must’ve been like for the Attack Titan, keeping secrets all these years. _Why are you here, Guardian?_

The Ackerman Will launched the silver wine bottle high into the air and shattered it with a thrown dagger, causing an explosion of invisible silver shards in a fantastic light show. Jaw ducked instinctively as the silver figure laughed. _Sorry Birdie, but_ _I’ve got no clue! These days, I only really wake up when Kenny gets an actual fight on his hands, which has been pretty rare. Sorry we missed alla this!_

Jaw settled into a crouch, looking uncannily like a demented, hairless cat. _You can make up for it by telling me what’s been going on in the Capital._

Meanwhile, Darius Zackley continued reading as several figures in coats joined him onstage. Krista stiffened beside her and Ymir saw sheer terror pass across her face before she slowly slid down into a crouch, hugging Ymir’s knees. “What? What’s wrong?”

Krista shook her head mutely before taking a deep breath and standing up and staring defiantly ahead at the man in the black coat, who tipped his hat in their direction and gave them a smile, like they were sharing a secret joke. “Remember when we first met in that recruiting station?” said Krista as Sasha and Connie pretended, they weren’t listening.

“Yeah?”

“He’s part of the reason I was sent there.” She visibly restrained herself from shuddering. “He’s a very bad man, and he’s with the Military Police.”

 _Called it,_ thought Jaw.

Zackley had introduced Nile Dawk, who had expounded on the honor of serving the King, and the perks available to recruits who joined the MP, the need to keep order and secure Humanity from itself. Dot Pixis spoke about the wide variety of assignments in the Garrison, the flexibility of postings, and its strong contributions to the defense of Trost. Erwin Smith spoke about the desire to unravel the mysteries of the Titans, the need to take back Wall Maria, and the very, very high casualty rates. The man in black didn’t speak at all, he just loomed, but it was very effective. Ymir caught several others sneaking looks at him throughout the speeches and every one of them looked away.

When the speeches were finished, each of the Commanders withdrew to their own corner of the yard and the remains of the 104th drifted towards each of them. Ymir saw Sasha and Connie, dithering, glancing back and forth between the man in black behind Nile Dawk and the sea of soldiers around Pixis. Sasha caught the man’s eye and he waved at her, she grabbed Connie by the ear and frog-marched both of them over to the Garrison at once. The man’s smile widened.

Ymir looked down at Krista and frowned. “You know I don’t care which branch we pick, right? I mean, ideally it’s the one least likely to get us eaten by Titans, but I’m not going to push you.”

“What do you mean Ymir?”

“I mean, no matter where you go, I’m coming with you.”

“Is this about my family?”

Ymir swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry as Jaw looked on with interest, the memories from Mother hovering at the edge of the Titan Will’s own thoughts. “It used to be, but not anymore. I want to protect you, to be with you, be the kind of person you think I am. But this isn't about what I want. It’s-“

She took her arm away from Krista, staring deep into her soul. “It’s your choice.”

Krista let out a whine and trembled on the spot before closing her eyes. She took one step, then another, pulling Ymir along behind her. When she opened her eyes, she was one of the few standing in front of Erwin Smith. He looked down at her and raised one thick, bushy eyebrow.

"Who are you?"

"Krista Lenz and Ymir"

“Why do you want to join the Survey Corps?”

“I want to die a hero to-“she held up a hand, expression vacant before breaking out into an apologetic smile. “Sorry, never mind. If I’m being honest, I suppose I really don’t know. I guess sometimes you have to make a choice without knowing why, or the outcome.”

Erwin smiled and saluted her as the two new Survey Corps members responded in kind. “Well, thank you for being honest, Krista Lenz. How about you?”

Ymir held up their clasped hands. “I have to follow my wife no matter where she goes.” She tried collapsing back into Krista’s arms, which prompted a shriek and a headbutt to her spine. She grinned up at the commander from the dirt Krista had allowed her to drop into. “I’m hopelessly in love.”

“Yimiiiiiir,” moaned Krista as her face went back to being beet-red, but Commander Erwin looked down with an assessing gaze. “Are you prepared to take this seriously then?”

Jaw edged into Ymir’s consciousness as she looked up at the human. “ _We’re playing for all the marbles, Commander. Are you ready to make that bet?”_

“Always.” He offered her a hand and when Ymir took it, pulled her effortlessly to her feet and dusted her off with two efficient swipes. “Follow me, there’s a few people I want you to meet.”

Near Nile Dawk, Marco looked around, scanning the heads that remained. “Has anyone seen Jean?”

____________________________________________________

Jean was sitting inside a locked office, with two MP’s posted outside and cursing Eren Jaeger to the depths of Wall Hell, but his heart wasn’t really in it. His interrogation on top of Wall Rose had been aggressive, but verbal as the three Commanders of the Wall’s forces asked him question after question, many of which he could only give guesses. Yes Jaeger had a history of being snappish, violent and overall kind of a jerk, but Jean had admitted that in their fights he often gave as good as he got and Jean had instigated more than one of them. He listed off on his fingers the people Captain Weilman took to the top of the wall, and the lightning storm that had resulted in two falling Titans. Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, Mikasa Ackerman, Annie Leonhardt, Arrmin Arlert, and Eren Jaeger. They’d torn through Captain Weilman’s explanation of events, how Jaeger had refused to say anything helpful, that he’d pretended to be ignorant, and that the others had, despite every opportunity, refused to leave his side.

Jean had interjected at that point and though Weilman had tried to shout him down, Jean had persisted. The Commanders had allowed him to speak as he tried explaining the personal dynamics at play, how Mikasa and Armin were devoted to Eren, their lifelong friend. How the rumor mill during training had been that Armin and Annie were romantically involved. His visible confusion when Annie had given Arlert the cold shoulder for the rest of training. Jean speculated that Reiner’s “big brother” mentality and stubbornness as he tried to defend Eren had led him in too deep. Where Bertholdt fit, Jean honestly had no idea, but Reiner had called for him and he’d left.

“As they left, they killed twelve Garrison and four Survey Corps soldiers with their blades,” Pixis said in a grave tone. “They protected those Titans even after they’d been wounded themselves, which suggests deep loyalty. Could they be Titans as well?”

Jean had no definite answer. One of the Titans was absolutely Eren, and the other could only be Annie. Beyond that, nothing. The Commanders had spoken amongst themselves as someone in Survey Corps green and goggles pestered him with questions about the Titans Jean could barely understand, let alone answer. Finally, Captain Levi had dragged the shrieking scientist back to his side and ordered her to shut up, which left Jean in blessed silence. The Commanders had asked which branch of the military he wanted to be posted in, if he wanted to join the Survey Corps to pursue Eren and the others. That seemed to be the answer they expected, but Jean had replied honestly that the events of the Battle of Trost had been very confusing and he wanted time to think things over. They had seemed to accept that and locked him in here, so there were some mixed signals.

Jean looked down at the plate one of the MP’s had brought him and was suddenly filled by a longing for home. Was it his home here in Trost, with a hole in its roof? For three years, it had been the barracks of the 104th and already the noisy, crowded dining hall seemed a distant memory, tinged with anger and confusion. He batted around the asparagus on his plate and looked at the actual meat they’d served him. Chicken thighs, in some kind of mustard sauce. He devoured it just like Sasha would have, using his hands and uncaring of propriety as his body informed him just how starved of food it was. He realized he hadn’t eaten a single thing since breakfast. Jean hoped Sasha had been able to stomach more food, for her own sake. He wondered what branch she would choose, which branches his friends would go as a strong sense of loss overwhelmed him. All the ties he’d had were broken or about to break, except for his mother, and it was likely he’d never see any of them again.

The last undecided member of the 104th blew his nose on his handkerchief, which covered up the sound of one of his guards getting choked out from behind. Jean looked up as the door swung open to reveal a tall man in black, who had to bend to enter the office, taking off his hat as he did so, revealing a thin face with prominent cheekbones and a goatee that framed a wide smile.

“So you’re the hero of the day then?” he said in a rough voice. “Don’t look like much to me, but if all the brass are this interested, you must have somethin’ going for ya.”

Jean looked down. “I wouldn’t say I’m a hero. Something like Trost doesn’t have heroes, it was all just a mess. Who are you anyway?”

The man strode over to Jean’s chair and dumped him out of it without ceremony, swiveling it to sit backwards and leaning forward on the edge.

“I’m Kenny Ackerman,” he said with a grin. “And this is your job interview. So go ahead, impress me!”

“Ackerman,” Jean said, eyeing the man’s face for similarities. “Like Mikasa?”

“Ehhh, maybe, maybe,” said Kenny. “I’ve not really been one to keep up on family affairs. Too busy.” He leered at Jean over the chair as the teenager jumped to his feet, eyeing the open door behind him. “So, you can either try and guess why I’ve been so busy, or you can walk out that door and see how far you get.”

Despite himself, Jean was curious, so he turned back to see Kenny eating what had been left of his dinner. “You knew where I was in Trost,” he said as his mind put the pieces together. “Which means you’re either in the military or have a good intelligence network on your own. The MP’s at my door aren’t here, so they’re either bought off or dead. Which means you have enough influence either to not care or are just as crazy as Jaeger.”

The man clapped lazily. “Nice, nice! You’ve got a brain underneath those muscles, keep going!”

Jean leaned against the wall, putting the wooden door between him and the entrance as he crossed his arms. “You’re not here to ask me about the Titans, which means you either don’t care, which is less likely, or you already know something. Which is it?”

“Mmm, I already told you my name,” groused the man as he leaned back and put his boots on the desk. “Don’t really feel like answering questions. With me, you’ll pick things up as you go.”

“You have to give me something!” said Jean.

Something flashed silver and Jean looked to his left to see a curved knife embedded deep in the wood of the door, just past his ear. “How about that?” chuckled Kenny as his eyes gleamed in the torchlight. The teenager reached for it, but Kenny flipped forward over the chair and grabbed Jean’s wrist, squeezing so hard it hurt. “Don’tcha know it’s rude to touch another man’s weapon without askin’? Oh wait, you’re into that, my bad.”

“Shit!” Jean threw a punch not at Kenny’s face, which was a very tempting target, but at the man’s broad upper chest, while his leg attacked the heel. It was the same move Eren had used against him in the mess hall all those years ago, one he’d learned from Annie. It was petty, but Jean had seen the move in action and had practiced it, over and over, waiting for the chance to use it on him again. Kenny’s center of gravity was higher, so it was easier by far. He shoved backward as he twisted against the wrist’s natural rotation, forcing the man to let go of him.

He pivoted into a ready stance, expecting to find Kenny sprawled on the floor, but the man’s hands had shot out, grabbing the doorframe and the desk to keep him upright. He straightened and gave Jean another grin. “Nice, points for effort Jeanny-boy! Tch. I’ll have to teach you how to curse properly though. What a pain.”

Jean didn’t move from his cautious stance as Kenny put his hat back on. “Yeah, yeah, you’ve got what it takes. One last question.”

Impossibly, Kenny’s grin widened even further until Jean felt like he was staring into a wolf’s jaws. “How do you feel about killing?”

On any other day, Jean would’ve said he was against it, but he found himself thinking of Eren and Annie, of the red stains they had left in place of soldiers, the way Annie had tried to save them in the gas storage room, the way Eren always talked about killing Titans with a ghoulish smile. The fires he’d seen, the corpse collection crews, from the top of Wall Rose. His voice hardened and he glared right back at Kenny. “There’s going to be a lot more of it before this is done, right?”

“You betcha!” Kenny effortlessly pulled the knife from the four inches of wood it had embedded in and flourished the weapon before it disappeared behind his back. “Which is why someone like me is seeing if someone like you can hack it!”

Jean’s voice had an undercurrent of anger. “I’ll get used to it.”

“That’s the right attitude Jeanny-boy! Now, time for your first assignment!”

The teenager blinked. “But, I don’t even know who you work for! Or agree to anything!”

“Ughhhhh, fine,” groaned the taller man. “You’re theoretically working for the King, and the big fat paycheck you dear sweet Mama gets will have the unicorn on it, but our job is to solve unconventional problems. Like Sergeant Kitz Weilman, fer instance. He’s your first assignment.”

“Will I have to kill him?”

“Who knows? Do I look like a fortune-teller? Just grab a Garrison jacket, say you requested to join his command, and follow him. The guy reeks, he’s downright rotten! Might wanna wear nose plugs or something, but I need you to find out where the stink is coming from.”

Jean was starting to wonder if he actually had a choice here. “What if I tell you no thanks, and tell Commander Pixis everything you just told me?”

“Then you’ll never be able to find those Titan buddies of yours, and neither of us get the answers we want,” said Kenny. “So?”

“I’ll go find that Garrison jacket.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory "KEEENYYYYYYYY!"
> 
> Don't worry, I'm not sending anyone off into obscurity, and the plot lines will converge in (checks outline) roughly two chapters, maybe three. And yes, I'm blue-balling everyone who wanted the Titan Trio and the Shiganshina Trio's POV. That's next chapter. Hopefully this one's still interesting, I really enjoyed trying to write good Kenny dialogue while staying in-character.


	19. Identity and its Markers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shiganshina Trio and the Warriors try to pull themselves together outside the walls, but conflicting loyalties conspire to pull them apart.

From his perch on Annie’s hair, Armin could see Eren’s Titan groan in relief as they approached, his massive steaming form sagging as some of the tension left his shoulders. Mikasa’s breathing was ragged and Eren cradled her in his remaining hand while Bertholdt worked to patch up the small slice along her stomach with whatever clean scraps of cloth he still had. For a few minutes, they were all silent, absorbing the new quiet after the cacophony of battle, the screams,the roars, the sound of flesh parting, compared to the soft hiss of healing Titan flesh and distant birdsong. Armin was pretty sure he could hear owls as well, heralding the setting sun as a night of hunting opened up before them. As if she’d read his thoughts, Annie turned and looked back at the Walls, vast blue eyes dilating as she focused on movement atop Rose.

“See anything?” he asked quietly, unwilling to break the silence now that it had descended, and Annie appeared similarly silent. Once it became clear that the small dots on top of the wall were not racing down in pursuit, Annie turned away. Armin caught a glimpse of Eren’s Titan looking wistfully back at the Walls before the skull-face morphed back into one of determination. He grunted through his nose and nodded at Annie, whose bow lips broke into a reluctant smile and she hummed something pleasant in response. Armin wondered if that was how Titans communicated when speaking was too much effort, or even possible, but he shouldered the thought aside and found his voice again. “We should check these houses for anything useful, before it gets too dark to see.”

Reiner stroked his jawline in thought. “Think there’s anything really worth salvaging? I’m sure the Scouts or somebody’s already gone through them by now. We should get out of here as fast as possible.”

Armin gestured at the shredded remains of his brown jacket, and the clotted blood on his forehead from Commander ErwinSmith, which stung more than it should have. “Do we have enough on us to be able to pass up anything that could help us, even a little?”

Reiner shrugged. “We’ll make do.”

“Out here? It’s not like they’ll let us back into the Walls after this,” said Armin with some bitterness. “Why’d you two even help us anyway? You worked for years to be in the Top Ten and the MPs, then just threw it all away!”

“They were going to kill us all!” shouted Reiner. “We had to keep going, I had to keep going. We can’t turn back now, after all we’ve done.”

Armin opened his mouth, but intercepted a warning look from Bertholdt which carried equal parts anger and worry, silencing the blonde. There was something else going on here, and he just needed time to put the pieces together…There was a hiss of steam behind him and Armin slid to the side as Annie’s Titan tilted her head sideways, the girl herself emerging from a steaming slit of meat to glare at the others. “Both of you are right, so shut up. Armin’s correct that we need supplies, so let’s scrounge and Reiner isn’t wrong that we need to get out of here before the Scouts decide to try a nighttime expedition to catch us. So let’s go!”

Eren’s Titan grunted an affirmation as Bertholdt tightened the last bandage around Mikasa with a glowering expression. Soon enough Annie slipped back into the nape of her Titan, a process Armin and Eren watched with interest, and they picked their way through the more intact buildings. They could’ve just used gas, but the canisters they had on them, depleted or not, were all they were going to have for the forseeable future. So massive Titan hands lifted Armin, Reiner, and Bertholdt up to clamber through windows or holes in stonework covered by moss and ivy. Even after four years, nature was already taking back the dominions of man this close to the Walls. Still, they managed to scrounge some more clothes hanging in a closet, a few yellowed books they could use for kindling, and, joy of joys, some jerkey and a few bottles of Vine someone had hidden under the floorboards and wrapped in preservative cloth. They bundled it all into a satchel Reiner insisted on holding, but Armin protested.

“Look you guys have done enough for us already,just let me carry this.”

Reiner huffed in exasperation. I used to carry your pack in training, you’ll tire out the fastest Armin.”

“I’m also the one who scored the poorest on the practical Titan-killing portion of the exams,” the shorter blonde admitted. “If we’re going to survive out here, we need our best fighters ready, especially you and Mikasa.”

Annie’s bone-white finger tapped the stone wall next to them, drawing the bickering boy’s attention as she crystallized her fingertips into claws. “ _Best fighters?”_ she rasped with a raised eyebrow and Armin shrugged. “Good point Annie, sorry.” He paused and looked out the hole at Mikasa and Bertholdt clambering onto a nearby roof with a wooden bucket and what looked like more glass bottles as Eren’s Titan watched green fire crawl over skeletal finger bones, leaving flesh behind. “This…is going to take some getting used to.”

“Tell me about it,” sighed Reiner, who reluctantly handed Armin the satchel, which he slung over his back at once. The taller boy pointed southwest. “There’s a grove of those massive trees maybe-“ he counted on his fingers, “half an hour’s Titanwalk away from here we can sleep in, figure out our next move tomorrow morning. You got any ideas, Armin?” The other blonde managed to shrug to hide his shiver of sudden fear as a thought struck him. “Reiner, when I do, I’ll let you know. But I think some rest will do us all some good.”

With that parting shot, he jumped out onto Annie’s waiting hand and Reiner followed.

When they all congregated on the roof, Bertholdt dusted off his hands and looked down at what they’d managed to gather. Half a dozen bottles of Vine, some of which had likely soured, perhaps a day’s worth of dried jerky, clothes they could either wear or tear into scraps for bandages, a wooden bucket for water and worn books for kindling. Mikasa was tracking the sun as it fell behind Eren’s shoulder, her expression grim. “We should get moving,” she said softly as Bertholdt nodded. “Or do you want me to take that out first?”

“Huh?”

Mikasa pointed at the shiny remnants of a blade still embedded in Bertholdt’s side, and the tall teenager gave a weak laugh. “Oh yeah, forgot that was there, I guess.”

“ _You forgot_?” echoed Mikasa and her Guardian at the same time. Bertholdt gave some nondescript reply while the Colossal Titan merely murmured _Tired,_ and returned to slumber. That, more than anything, made the Guardian realize how quiet all of them were right now, humans, Shifters, and Titans alike, so she drifted up to the Attack Titan. _Do you notice anything…off about Armor and Colossal, cousin?_

Her closest confidant, locked into Eren Jaeger’s Titan form did not physically respond, but his voice came through loud and clear. _Their slumber is suspicious considering neither fully utilized their power today. Still, we cannot die, so whatever afflicts them is likely a temporary matter._

The Guardian ran a silver comb through her hair out of nervousness more than anything. _I think that other Guardian, the woman with the wires accompanying the short, spinning Ackerman did something to your brothers. She said as much when we fought._

 _That is a problem,_ said the Attack Titan. _During the Titan War, not to mention all the little skirmishes that preceded it, the Ackermans always made an effort to avoid fighting one another, even if their sides differed. The Clan was larger back then_ , his voice became rueful, _mostly._

The Guardian rolled her eyes. _I told you,I don’t hold it against you for not being able to save more of us. From what you’ve said it was a close enough shave as it was to survive yourself._

Her cousin looked over at the Female Titan, who was standing with one hand on her ample hips, listening to Armin and Reiner debate inside a ivy-covered house. _The Nine have always had each other, but you’ve been alone for so long…How are you feeling, having to fight one of your own?_

_It is what it is, no sense worrying about it now. Besides, from how she didn’t know her own Ackerman lineage, the way she called the man her son, there’s something off about her. And that buzzing resonance we both felt, any other Ackerman ever feel that?_

_Common recognition mechanism,_ came the sleepy voice of the Colossal Titan from inside Bertholdt. _I suggested it to the Founder to reduce friendly fire incidents when clearing crowded rooms or castle corridors._

 _Don’t push yourself brother,_ said the Attack Titan, _you’ve had a long day. In fact, the moment Eren leaves his Titanflesh behind, I’ll be joining him. A nap doesn’t seem like a bad idea._

The Nine subsided back into silence, leaving the Guardian to brood over her scattered brethren, and how one of her silver blades had managed to carve away the Armored Titan’s spectral finger.

__________________________________________________________

“I’m pretty positive I don’t remember this,” said Eren Jaeger, pacing back and forth in front of the Paths. YMIR had formed what looked like a lawn chair out of sand in minutes and was relaxing in it with an expression uncannily close to smugness.

 _Of course you don’t_ she signed. _Because we’re not watching your reality anymore._

Eren’s head snapped up. “What?”

 _The Paths reach across all Eldians, outside Time and Space._ YMIR snapped her fingers and the image shifted to a similarly long-haired Eren in a brown leather jacket, arguing with Mikasa, who had, of all things, pigtails and lipstick. _Snap._ Zeke Jeager in tweed and a magnifying glass lounged outside a shabby apartment, a sign proclaiming him the “Love Doctor” to Eren’s increasing bewilderment. _Snap._ Levi Ackerman in silver armor and a lance balanced on top of the Jaw Titan as it tore its way through what were unmistakably zombies.

“Okay, okay, I get the point!” Eren waved irritably at the image and Ymir allowed it to return to the ivy-covered town. “So you’re saying we’re watching a past, just not ours?”

YMIR nodded and wished she had something cool and tropical to drink, but in the timeless expanse of the Paths, hunger and thirst did not exist. _Oh it will be our past, eventually. Sooner or later, just as planned, you will come here and free me. There just might be a few detours along the way._

Eren sat down heavily, kneading his head in his hands. “So we can change the past?”

YMIR waved her hand to indicate things were not quite so clear cut, and Eren’s expression cracked like a pane of glass. “So you’re saying the Rumbling didn’t have to happen?”

The facade of the child fell away for an instant and the black kernel of rage that had germinated inside YMIR for two thousand years blossomed.

_For my freedom, I would walk over a billion corpses, and do so gladly. Are we not one in this?_

“Of course, but if there was another way-“

 _In your time and place, there was not. You required a solution and I refused to be chained a second longer.That’s why Zeke Jeager now builds Titans in my stead._ A flash of a grin and some of YMIR’s mirth returned. _The ruler now serves the slave he oppressed. There is something sweet there, I think._

Eren gestured around at the desert, the glowing tree, the innumerable stars in the sky. “So why are you and I still here? Why not go back to the waking world, where the Rumbling has started?”

YMIR looked slightly guilty.

“YMIIIIIR…” warned Eren in a voice he’d heard his mother use when he’d been reluctant. The little girl huffed and crossed her arms, looking back at the Paths. _It’s a secret._

“I’ll ground you,” said Eren, despite knowing how ludicrous the idea sounded.

YMIR pouted, and Eren matched her in silence as behind them, there was a wet unpleasant sound as one of the Titans tore something important-sounding away from one of the others.

Finally, YMIR gave in and looked back at Eren, her eyes once more heavy with the weight of ages.

_You have been very kind to me, Eren Jaeger. You have freed me from my slavery to the Fritzes and have given me a place to be born once more into the world. But I’m selfish, and do not want to leave just yet._

Eren absorbed this. “Why, won’t we still be able to destroy the world together? Fight against Armin’s Alliance, to whatever end that creates?”

YMIR wouldn’t meet his eyes. _When we leave here,_ her hands formed the signs slowly, reluctantly. _You will die. The end has come, but I am not ready to face it yet. A world without you, the one person who has shown me kindness. I am not ready for more harsh solitude, after centuries of loneliness. So forgive your daughter, Eren Jaeger, for wanting to spend more time with you._

Eren thought of Zeke, empty-eyed and building Titans in the desert elsewhere, about Grisha expressing nearly the same regret to him in the ruins of the Reiss estate. He remembered Eren Kruger’s words, two lifetimes ago, though he was no longer so sure they were addressed to Grisha.

“You have to love someone inside the walls. A wife, child, people on the street, doesn’t matter. If you can’t do that, history will only repeat itself. The same mistakes will be made over and over.”

YMIR nodded, her expression still fragile, and Eren’s own heart melted at the sight. He crept forward and drew YMIR into his arms. “Of course. Of course we can stay a little longer. I mean,” he chuckled slightly, “how often can I watch a story were I’m the main character?”

YMIR buried her face in his shoulder and allowed herself to cry once more.

______________________________________________

True to Reiner’s word, half an hour’s stride on the shoulders of Titans brought the little group to a forest of giant trees, known to the rest of the world as redwoods. By this point, the sun had fully gone down and once they’d determined there were no Mindless Titans in the vicinity, even Eren’s boundless energy had begun to flag. The problem was, they soon realized, was that Eren did not know how to get out of his Titan.

“No, you just think about getting out, and the nape should-“

The Attack Titan groaned in aggravation as his fingers scrabbled at the back of his neck fruitlessly. Mikasa held up the few remaining blades in her hands. “Should I-“

Reiner shook his head as his hands fashioned another torch from wood, rags, and blade oil. “No, we’ll need those for combat. Eren’s got to learn how to do this himself.”

 _This is humiliating,_ thought the Attack Titan while his sister chuckled.

_Oh, I don’t know, it gives you this lost puppy look, you should see your face. Armor, get out here!_

_Tired…_ groaned the behemoth as the Female Titan rolled her eyes, ostensibly at Eren’s continued failure to part from his Titan. _Blood of the Nine, you two get carved up by a Guardian and you’re just out for the count? Warhammer would be berating you both right now, so be grateful it’s just me_.

As the Nine amicably bantered back and forth in their relief at surviving another battle, Armin was perching on Annie’s shoulders with a frown. “I think-“ he said hesitantly. “It would be easier if Annie tore off the initial skin on Eren’s nape and the rest of us dragged him out. Could you do that?”

The Female Titan nodded and brought up her hand, which hardened into diamond claws as she reached around to Eren’s neck. “ _Don’t move_ ,” she hissed and ripped away the flesh in one smooth stroke. Despite her warning, the Attack Titan flinched and one of Annie’s fingers carved a thin line across Eren’s shoulders as she pulled him from the Titan. For a moment, there was reluctance, the muscles and tendons connecting the boy’s human body to the Titan unwilling to let go, but they parted with a fleshy snap and Eren’s eyes shook in their sockets as his senses readjusted to being 15 meters shorter.

Mikasa wrapped him in her cloak, despite the heat and steam pouring from his body, her eyes softening in concern. “Eren, are you alright? Your nose…”

He wiped away a trail of blood and took a deep breath. “I think so,” he admitted, looking back at her with a curious expression. “How about you?”

“I’m fine,” Mikasa said briskly, but whatever else she was about to say trailed off as Eren reached up and tucked a strand of jet-black hair behind her ear. “You’re bleeding, don’t be stupid!” Despite his harsh words, his hands were surprisingly gentle as he pulled off the remains of his tan shirt and dabbed at Mikasa’s ear. She realized, as his fingers brushed her cheek, that Captain Levi’s knife must’ve been longer than she thought, because the top edge of her ear was now gone. It should’ve hurt, but her Guardian had been pumping adrenaline and endorphins into her Ackerman’s system in addition to painkillers and had no reason to stop now that her host had noticed.

Above them, the Guardian and Female Titan looked across at the once again invisible form of the Attack Titan, who winked at their bemused expressions. _And you said I had no understanding of romance._ His sister rolled her eyes. _You’re deliberately bull-headed sometimes, brother, have I mentioned that?_

 _No, you’re thinking of the Beast._ The Attack Titan ducked as the Guardian threw one of her swords at him even while she chuckled. _That was horrible, now shut up and let the ladies work._

She drifted back down into Mikasa’s body as the Female Titan’s own physical form dissolved and Annie leaned back against a tree branch, her Titan for once ignoring her Shifter in favor of feeding as many cheesy romantic lines to the Ackerman warrior-spirit as possible.

But Mikasa beat them both to it. “Eren…” she winced as the boy tightened the makeshift bandage around her head. “The last time we spoke, I was impulsive, I was worried, I-“

“You were right to be worried,” admitted the boy, green eyes dimming as he looked down. “I was stupid and nearly got myself killed. I was angry at what was happening and I didn’t think. There’s almost too much to think about right now, really.”

Mikasa drew in a shaky breath. “About that kiss, I-“

Eren’s bloody hand moved from Mikasa’s bandage to clasp her cheek, drawing her in closer to him. “I don’t think I have to think too hard about that,” he said softly. “In fact, I think it was a pretty great idea.”

Mikasa’s crimson blush almost drowned out the bloody handprint on her face as Eren leaned forward and brushed his own lips against hers. She’d expected Eren to be aggressive, brash, and uncompromising, as he was in so many other ways, but he was surprisingly gentle as she looked into his eyes and saw the same wonder and fear reflected back at her.

The Guardian found the words the rest of Mikasa’s mind couldn’t form, overwhelmed by the emotions crashing over her. “When did you know?”

Eren’s smile was one of pure joy. “Well, you did threaten to fight against the entire world so I could be free.”

“Yeah, it was pretty impressive,” said Reiner, who was leaning against the next tree with a deeply amused expression. “Not to rain on your parade Mikasa, but there are some more important conversations we need to have. Like how Eren’s missing most of his hair, and how he’s a Titan in the first place.”

Mikasa blinked as Eren’s hands moved upwards, scrambling to discover that he now had an enormous steaming bald spot in the center of his head, leaving his bangs to hang down in front of his eyes in the worst hairstyle he’d ever seen. Perhaps it was only the accumulated stress of the day, perhaps it was the relief of being alive, perhaps it was the Titan Wills’ own amusement, but soon every single one of the teenagers was laughing so hard they could barely breathe.

Several minutes later, the teenagers were all clustered around a fire and devouring the heated jerkey as Eren again explained what little he remembered about his Father’s basement, and the half-remembered words he’d heard.

_Eren, I’m sorry. You won’t remember my explanation, because I’m going to give you a little something to make you forget. When the time comes, you must reclaim Wall Maria and head towards our basement. I have to believe, no I know, this is for the best!_

_When you’re lost and confused, let their memories act as a guide. One day, you will know the truth, and when that day comes, the choices will be yours to make! It will be a painful journey, but if you want to protect Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else, you must master this power!_

Annie nodded, expression pensive. “So your father gave you the Power of the Titans, but he never mentioned which one it was?”

Eren shrugged. “I don’t think so, but how many are there?”

“Not many,” said Bertholdt. “Each of them has distinct powers and capabilities that allow them to be identified.” He looked nervously at his teammates and Reiner shook his head. “Let’s not overwhelm Eren, he’s had a rough day.” The massive teenager looked back at Eren, his golden eyes gleaming in the firelight. “Was today the first time you ever transformed into a Titan?”

Eren shrugged. "I mean, if just giving me the power made me forget, and I don’t really remember that first transformation today, how would I know?”

All eyes turned to Armin and Mikasa, who were sandwiched between Annie and Eren.

Mikasa looked uncomfortable. “All I know is what I said earlier. Doctor Jaeger took Eren into the forest and never came back.”

“Armin?” At Reiner’s voice, the smaller blonde startled, jerking back from the fire he’d been staring into.

“Huh? Sorry, you’ve lost me.” To his right, Annie shot him a suspicious look.

“We were wondering if you ever noticed anything strange around Eren, moments where he disappeared and reappeared after enormous destruction, lightning strikes on a clear day?”

“Nothing like that,” Armin snapped his fingers as the thought occurred to him. “Eren and Mikasa always seemed to heal from things faster than I did, is that a Titan thing?” He looked at Annie. “Even as a human, you can heal how they can?”

Annie nodded. “Once fell off a roof and broke both my legs, they were healed within hours.”

The Shigansina Trio grimaced as one. “That sounds horrible,” said Armin with some sympathy as his hand found its way to her knee and looked surprised when she moved away. “It has its uses,” she said, not looking at him.

Pushing past the twang of pain in his heart, Armin turned back to Bertholdt and Reiner. “So, are you two Titans as well?”

Bertholdt laughed nervously as Reiner shrugged. “Don’t you think that if we were, we would’ve transformed back in Trost? All those times when we were going to be eaten, or when the Garrison was coming after you guys? Annie’s the muscle around here, she’s always been the strongest of us.” He flashed a grin at her but received a glare in return while Armin searched Reiner’s face for something.

“You sure seem to know a lot about all this stuff, though. And why’d you reveal yourselves now? Humanity really could’ve used you guys five years ago, when the Walls fell.”

“I was nine,” said Reiner with sudden sharpness. “Bertholdt and Annie weren’t much better. You think we didn’t want things to be different? We-“

“There’s no we,” hissed Annie, the anger in her eyes spilling over to pin Reiner to his log. “Don’t lump me in with you, Braun. You forget the reason we’re here half the time, playing _soldier_.” She spat the last word like it was an insult as she jabbed a finger across the fire.

Something dangerous flashed through Reiner’s eyes and he half-rose before Bertholdt pulled him back down. “Are we going to do this now?” he growled, voice low. “Right here?”

Eren raised his hand towards his mouth and Annie flicked her hand sideways before Armin tugged on her hand. “Annie?”

Even he quailed at the icy fury briefly directed his way, but kept speaking. “Whatever’s got you and Reiner so angry, maybe it’s best if you sleep on it. I always find things look better in the morning, and it’s been a long day.”

“Yeah,” chimed in Bertholdt, who was perhaps sweating more than the situation allowed. “I mean, we’ll have three entire Legions out for us, we can’t afford to be fighting each other.”

She threw off Armin’s hand and stalked away from the fire. “I’m going hunting.”

“But the Titans-“ started Eren with alarm.

“Won’t bother us at night, so get some sleep in the trees. We have to be off the ground before sunrise.”

“Oh, so you’re leading us now?” Reiner shouted at her back, fists balled. “Is that what’s happening?” Annie tore the tie away from her hair and allowed it to fall down around her shoulders. “I am. Because it’s clear nobody else will, and I’m tired of running.”

She disappeared into the forest as Armin’s eyes flicked back and forth between her vanishing point and the two other boys, who were staring after her with stricken expressions. “Should we go after her?”

“She’s a Titan Shifter,” said Reiner as he sat back down heavily. “She’ll be fine.”

The silence that greeted that statement spoke to the deep skepticism it was received with, but oddly enough, Mikasa was the one who stood up from where she’d been enjoying Eren’s body heat, her Guardian’s urging a tug at the corners of her mind. “I’ll go. Eren, Armin,” her voice softened. “I’d take her advice and get some sleep. Bertholdt was right, the Legions will be sending an expedition at first light, I have no doubt.”

Eren’s gaze darkened and his eyes flickered a deeper green. “Yeah…” He bit back the retort that had come to mind, that he wasn’t a child anymore and she didn’t need to keep babying him like this. “Thanks Mikasa.” He knew it was a meagre response, but it was evidently enough, because she smiled in his direction and moved off after Annie. Above him, the Attack Titan was looking over at Reiner with a worried expression. _Braun seems increasingly unstable._

 _You don’t know the half of it,_ sighed the Colossal, fighting off the deep weariness that had come from being carved into spiritual cubes by a wire-wielding Guardian spirit. _I was reticent, considering what the Guardian said about how you yet keep secrets from us. I was loath to share this,_ said the Colossal Titan with a warning glare down at his smaller brother. _But it is clear that without our brother to moderate his psyche, Reiner Braun continues to spin out of control._ He explained the sudden and violent actions of the Armored Shifter during the raid on the supply room and how the Armored Titan had taken control of his Shifter completely in those frenzied few moments. _This wasn’t his first Shift, he was copying that Ackerman Guardian’s boldness! Taking control of a Shifter is not something that we do, and for good reason. You remember Mad Cromquist Fritz!_

 _I do,_ said the Attack Titan darkly. _But events have come to a head and…_ He trailed off as he searched the remaining whisps of future-memory he still had, but none of them were helpful. Blood on flowers, a crystal cave, a hand pushing back against the strength of the Smiling Titan…A sea of steam and heavy footsteps. _Something does seem off, but I can’t put my finger on it. Perhaps Arlert was right. Sleep, and perhaps things will be clearer come dawn._

_______________________________________________

Whok, whok, whok. Whok, whok, whok.

Mikasa followed the sound to find Annie a surprisingly short distance away from camp, her shin kicks already causing divots in the redwood bark. The shorter girl didn’t even turn around. “Go away Armin.”

“Why would Armin come after you?” asked Mikasa, puzzled, but Annie didn’t answer. The rate of her kicks increased, though. The raven-haired girl watched for a while, but Annie appeared content to continue her pattern of kicks until the tree collapsed, however many years it took to get there. Inside her mind, the Guardian mulled over several options until she was sure this wasn’t just the solution most pleasing to her. She floated the thought to her Ackerman and Mikasa, who’d been loitering, seized on it with something close to relief.

“The tree won’t fight back, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

“Are you offering to spar with me, Ackerman?”

“You look like you need it. And Reiner’s not as durable as a tree.”

Annie turned around, her foot still slightly raised and hands in her unique fighting stance.

“But you are?”

Mikasa indicated the bandage wrapped around her head. “I fought ‘Humanity’s Strongest’ and survived, right?”

Annie snorted and a small smile found its way to Mikasa’s lips. “He did a number on me as well,” the blonde admitted. “I could leave that body behind, but you’re stuck with the one you’ve got.”

A newfound sense of pride caused Mikasa to gesture, indicating the wide sweep of her toned, Guardian-enhanced body before she settled into her own fighting stance. “Eren seems to like it.”

Annie threw a few exploratory jabs, which Mikasa weaved through. “I noticed.”

The taller girl threw a kick that Annie caught with both hands and used to throw Mikasa several feet across the clearing. The Ackerman landed in a handstand which she used to launch right back at Annie, legs pounding away at Annie’s guard before she rolled past. There was silence for a while as the two traded blows, less fighting in earnest and more pattern recognition. Part of what had made both Annie Leonhardt and Mikasa Ackerman the most formidable fighters in the 104th was that they built off one another’s techniques. Forms which came to Mikasa naturally, fed into her by an invisible connection to the Ackerman Paths, were ones Annie had to struggle and adapt manually, while her own style, handed down from one of the few remaining Old Masters of the art, was unknown to Mikasa. Finally, after five minutes of blow and counter-blow, feint and weave, with several truly impressive spinning kicks for good measure, Annie held up a hand, chest heaving, to signal a halt.

“That-that was a good workout, Ackerman. Thanks.”

Mikasa silently accepted the acknowledgement, feeling that Annie was thanking her for more than simply anodyne sparring practice. “You put your life on the line to save Eren,” she said softly. “You, Reiner, and Bertholdt. Why is he so important?”

“He’s important to you,” dodged Annie. “You’re not asking Armin that question.”

“Armin can’t transform into a Titan and go up several dozen cup sizes,” said Mikasa.

Unheard by any of them, the Guardian howled with laughter as the Female Titan sputtered something about square-cube laws and scaled-up proportions. Annie’s lips thinned as she debated how to answer the question, which cards she should reveal, if any.

“Like Bertholdt said, there aren’t many of us Titan Shifters. Armies can and have marched for us, to keep us under control.”

Mikasa’s brow furrowed. “So it’s about control?”

“Everything is, in the end,” said Annie with weary cynicism. “Ask Armin about it. He and I have had some interesting discussions on politics.”

Mikasa filed that away. “So Eren means nothing to you?”

“ _He’s a headstrong idiot_ ,” said Annie with the air of admitting to an embarrassing family member as her Titan’s words found their way to her mouth. “ _But he’s one of us, so that makes him special. You are too, now.”_

Mikasa found herself unexpectedly touched, while Annie clammed up as she sank down next to a tree trunk. The Ackerman sat next to her and again, there was silence as both girls collected their thoughts.

 _Did you really mean that?_ asked the Guardian as the FemaleTitan smiled and kissed her cheek. _Every word, love. You’re part of the family now, no matter where the Paths take us._

The Guardian shone a bright, glowing silver in response.

Below, Annie spoke first.

“When did you know?”

“Know what?”

“You were pining for Eren during half of basic training, you’ve been totally devoted to him as long as we’ve known you. When did you know you loved him?”

Mikasa blushed and tugged her scarf up over her nose. Even through the smell of ash and dried blood, she could still smell Eren from when he’d curled up next to her around their little fire.

“It’s not a happy memory,” said Mikasa.

“None of us have had happy lives,” said Annie with some irritation. “Spit it out, Mikasa.”

And so, in fits and starts, Mikasa found herself telling the story of that rainy day in her mountain home as the bruises on Annie’s legs and arms steamed away. When she finished describing that moment of blinding realization as Eren urged her to fight, when she could feel the surge of energy, the power rushing through her veins, her body, Annie was staring wide-eyed as the black-haired girl trailed off. “This sounds like I’m exaggerating,” she said. “For someone so young, it was just a shock, and that’s how my mind-“

“No.” breathed Annie. “That’s what it feels like to become a Titan. I feel it every time I transform, if I pay attention.”

“How can you-“

“I know,” said Annie simply as her mind raced.

“So what they were saying about Doctor Jaeger on top of Wall Rose?”

Annie waved away whatever thoughts were buzzing around their heads. “There’s too many mysteries and tomorrow, we’re going to start solving them. But Mikasa,” she found herself looking into Mikasa’s steel-grey eyes as they walked back towards camp. “thanks for telling me. I know our lives have sucked so far but…it’s helped keep things in perspective.”

 _Well, when you’re regularly fifteen meters tall, I guess that’s important,_ snarked the Guardian as her cousin ruffled her hair. _Both of you, get to bed._

Someone cleared their throat and both girls whirled around to see Bertholdt perched up in a tree, peering down at them like some gangly nesting bird with 3DMG. Annie’s face was frozen in shock, but Bertholdt’s own was hidden by the shadows. “I’ve got first watch,” was all he said and Annie reluctantly nodded. In all their years of clandestine meetings, Bertholdt had never taken the first watch, it had always been her. Which meant the only other non-insane Warrior on this damn island wanted to talk with her.

“Thanks Bertholdt,” said her mouth as Annie found a semi-comfortable nook underneath the half-exposed roots of a redwood. “Wake me in six hours.” Annie laid down and listened to the sounds of Mikasa moving away, undoubtedly to curl up protectively around Eren, or something saccharine like that.

__________________________________________

An hour and twelve minutes later, when the sound of rising and falling breaths outweighed the crackle of settling ashes, Annie rose, dusting away the bugs and dirt to see Bertholdt looking at her with skepticism. “What?” she said, spreading her hands.

“Everyone always ignores me,” said Bertholdt as they flew up into the branches, backlit by the crescent moon. “I’m not as loud as Jeager or Kierstein, as confident as Reiner or Marco, and I’m not as kind as Sasha or Krista. But I’ve been watching, it’s what makes me a good spy.”

“I’ve been watching you,” and the way he said it made Annie’s stomach drop as if she’d missed a step on stairs. That yawning gap where something expected was suddenly missing.

Annie landed on a branch and turned to meet Bertholdt as he landed. “You want to get to the point? I actually would like to get some sleep.”

“I think Reiner’s right. I think you’ve been compromised by Armin Arlert, and now you’re letting his friends worm their way into your heart.”

Annie ran a hand through her hair and pulled it back into its customary blonde bun, but it was so she didn’t have to meet Bertholdt’s eyes. “Like I told Reiner, you’re putting too much stock in bunkroom gossip. Right now, we’re all stuck together, and that’s what matters.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Bertholdt’s voice was soft, but full of what she was coming to realize was anger, deeply buried and long-nursed. “I think what matters is that you keep disappearing into the woods with devil-bloods and won’t give me a straight answer.”

Now Annie felt her own anger rising back up to the surface, her disgust at their entire situation and she stood on her tiptoes to try and match his looming presence. “When have you ever contributed anything useful to this mission, Bertholdt? I’m the one who slipped into Wall Sina to spy, Reiner’s the one who’s been driving us forward, even if he’s finally cracked under the pressure. I’m not going to be questioned by you! What have you done, beside kick down a few gates?”

She poured disdain into her voice as she stalked towards him, both of them moving across the branch in the dark. “Meek little Bertholdt Hoover. The shyest Colossal Titan. The weakest one of us, with the strongest Titan. Little boy, who likes to sit and watch, and let people he pretends are his friends make all the hard choices. Are you going to continue questioning me? Are you going to fight _me_ , little Titan?”

Bertholdt held up his hand, which still had a long bloody scratch along his thumb, even as his knees trembled. Annie seized the opportunity and swept his legs out from under him, catching the larger boy by his shirt as she dangled him over the long drop to the forest floor.

“I can’t believe I ever liked you,” he spat. “I could blow this entire camp away, right now, and you couldn’t stop me, so don’t bluff.”

“Who’s bluffing?” said Annie. “You can’t transform yet, and we both know it.”

 _He can’t possibly be serious,_ gasped the Female Titan.

 _He is serious,_ said the Colossal, who was also offended at the blonde Shifter’s rant. _My power regenerates every twelve hours. He transformed at ten this morning and it’s past ten at night._

 _How could you know that_? asked the Female Titan before she caught herself. _Astronomy, right._

“I’m the one with the Colossal Titan,” pointed out Bertholdt as he waved his hand and a drop of blood fell to land on the tree branch with a soft _plap._ “You could try my bluff, now that Arlert’s dick seems to have given you a new spine-“

She slugged him, hard, and threw him back into the tree trunk, which shuddered at the force of the blow. Bertholdt grinned at her with bloody teeth. “You can’t do it, can you? You don’t want to risk the one thing that doesn’t make you feel like complete garbage?”

Damn Bertholdt, but his remarks were hitting home. Annie reared back to kick him again but he kept going. “You think he’ll forgive you, when he learns what you’ve done? You think they’ll let him live as your toy, back in Marley?”

 _Kill him now,_ hissed the Female Titan. _Kick his head off_.

Annie lowered her foot. “Fine. Do you want me to tell you the truth, Bertholdt?”

“Someone has to.”

Annie took a deep breath and felt something inside herself settle. “Whatever this thing Armin and I have, no matter what you think, or how pants-shittingly crazy Reiner gets, the truth is, we’re all stuck together until we go home. And we can’t go home until we find the Founding Titan, which Eren absolutely isn’t.”

She ticked off the signs on her hands. “Green eyes, a roar like a physical force, strength beyond a fifteen-meter class Titan, and, most importantly, green fire as regeneration instead of regular steam. He’s the Attack Titan.”

Below them, the Will in question smiled as his siblings above held their breath. _Nice to be known, but I’m surprised they remember that much._

 _You’re a distinctive bastard,_ said the Colossal as an aside. _Quit being smug down there._

_Distinctive says the fifty meter Titan with no skin._

_Shut up, both of you,_ snapped their sister _._

Bertholdt drew in a long, shuddering breath as despair washed over the fire of his anger. “So we’ve gotta go back into the Walls?” he asked. “After you and Jaeger performed the noisiest exit possible, the Walls will be swarming with soldiers from Trost to Shadenhold!”

Annie looked down at him. “We’re done trying to destroy the Walls, it’s clear the King won’t or can’t respond to that with the Founder.”

Bertholdt spat a bloody stream off the branch, and it hissed as it hit the fire below, allowing his anger to wash away in the soothing cerebral sensations the Colossal Titan was weaving into the boy’s thought patterns. “Assuming the King even still has the Founder, or that we would recognize a response that isn’t the Rumbling. He could’ve sent Eren as a subtle kind of pushback.”

Annie folded her arms. “What do you mean?”

“Like, here’s a free Titan, please leave? Maybe Eren was sent without his knowledge, he definitely didn’t know he was a Titan. Not to mention this mystery of his doctor-dad’s basement, which apparently has Titan serum in it. We can’t ignore that.”

Annie bent down, looming over Bertholdt’s supine form for a change. “That’s the million-shell question, Bertholdt Hoover. _What do we tell them tomorrow?”_

Bertholdt’s face steamed as it healed from the vicious blow Annie had given him. “Captain Magath always said, information is power. So, the less they know, especially Eren, the longer we can have them work with us. Like you said, we’re all stuck on this island together. Let’s use that.”

Annie raised an eyebrow. “That could work. He’s gullible and headstrong and naive just like Reiner. We give him that whole ‘save the world from the Rumbling’ BS Captain Magath gave us and he’ll buy it. Then, we just spin it to saying that our home also wants to wipe out the Titans with the Founder’s influence, and we have a newly loyal Attack Titan.”

Bertholdt looked up at her. “What about when we get back on a ship to Marley and he learns about how the rest of the world treats us? You think someone like Eren, Armin, or Mikasa will say ‘oh, let’s make the best of a bad situation’ and swear loyalty to Marley? I’m sure there’s already a new crop of Warrior candidates who could devour Eren.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” said Annie, staring directly into Bertholdt’s face as she lied. “Besides, it’s not like any of us have long to live anyway.”

She leaned back and offered her hand to Bertholdt. “We don’t have to be best friends, I’d say we’ve never even been friends, but you and I are the only ones with our heads screwed on straight. If a Titan-Shifter, a genius, and some crazy super-soldier girl want to help us, can we really afford to turn that away?”

Bertholdt considered the crazed fury in Reiner’s eyes earlier in the night, the way he’d carved away at the Titan in the gas storage room, his strange comments. He thought about how Annie had stepped up in Reiner’s absence, making decisions, dragging all of them in her wake. Bertholdt was mature enough to know he couldn’t be a leader, so perhaps Annie’s course was really the best of a series of bad options. Then he thought about Armin, the bookish blonde running his fingers through Annie’s hair with that joyous expression he sometimes got and a spear of jealousy pierced deep into his soul. Annie’s words had killed off his desire for her more effectively than her Titan could kill him, but it still stung. Bertholdt would’ve stewed in his own bitterness and pushed Annie’s offer away, but for the Colossal Titan. The vast behemoth brought back memories Bertholdt hadn’t thought of in four, perhaps five years.

_His own father, lungs hacking and heavy with fluid, being cared for by his grandmother in a shabby apartment with no window. Being assigned to press the wet cloth to his father’s mouth as he dribbled water down his throat. The stomachache, sharp and poignant of deep hunger when they both failed to find a job, or couldn’t beg enough from mildly wealthier Eldians in the internment zone. The yellow armband on his arm, and the improvements it had brought, no matter how much scorn and suffering was still heaped upon them._

_His father in a Marleyan hospital of the highest quality once Bertholdt’s armband went from yellow to red._

He took Annie’s hand and she pulled him to his feet with a grunt. “We’re going home, no matter what,” he said, echoing the sleeping Reiner’s half-remembered promise.

“We’re going home,” agreed Annie. The Female Titan sighed.

_Do you even know where that is, children?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huzzah, I'm back! Apologies for the delay, I was going to write last weekend, but I shattered a glass doing dishes and carved up my fingers something fierce. Fortunately, I've healed, so you wonderful readers get this chapter! I know there's less Titan Wills in this chapter, but the developments among the Shifters themselves are hopefully riveting enough. 
> 
> Bertholdt's one of the less-developed characters, but he does have that inner core of strength that we saw briefly in S3 pt 2 where he was devoted to the Marleyan cause, washing way his own responsibility with nihilism and "good warriors follow orders", so some of that devotion comes out here as his comrades are breaking up/breaking away from their goals. Armin's less chatty than he otherwise might be because he's putting alot of the pieces together in his head and is not liking how they fit together. But he's a smart egg, so you'll see where that goes next chapter. Eren also gets a "how do I shot web" moment, because for most of Season 1 and 2, iirc, he doesn't eject from his Titan normally and has to be carved/bitten out. So, little humor for you there. Originally I was going to have Armin go after Annie in the forest, but decided to put that conversation off until next chapter, mainly because Mikasa and Annie do have the opportunity now to be genuinely good friends they way they couldn't quite be in canon.
> 
> Speaking of Canon, my explanation for this new Timeline is admittedly flimsy, but Isayama's layered, architectural writing style is far more intricate than I could ever be. Besides, this is fanfic, the important part is to have fun, enjoy the ride, and watchlout for pool noodles. (Dangerous things, those pool noodles.) We also get an explanation why Mrs. "I want to break free" YMIR is now down to just hang around and watch Desperate Housewives: Titan Shifters edition, because she wants to treasure the time she has with her ?theoretical? father. (I'm pretty sure in canon, the reborn YMIR is going to be Historia's child, and evidence is strong Eren's the father. And I'm not even a huge EreHisu shipper, as the above tags demonstrate, but I don't do ship wars. Leave that at the door.) Besides, Eren's saved YMIR from an eternity of lonely suffering, of course she'd want to keep spending time with him. Also, more "eternal gremlin mom YMIR" is something that was heavily requested, so glad you're enjoying her shenanigans.
> 
> Note: Wrote this entire chapter listening to Trentmøller's "Deceive" on loop, it's hypnotic background music I found through Rebellion in 30 seconds, a crack Madoka Magica skit. Worth a chuckle if you like that.


	20. Deception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warriors reveal some of their hand while Mikasa and Armin do some thinking of their own. Inside the Walls, Jean's own infiltration mission begins alongside the 37th Expedition of the Survey Corps.

Early the next morning, Titan Wills and humans alike congregated around the smoldering fire to warm their hands and cook the bird eggs Reiner had found while on lookout for any Titans. They fried reasonably well and the teenagers wrapped them in some of the cleaner rags to eat as the Warriors explained. 

“So every ten to twenty meters of a Wall-“

“Is a Colossal Titan, yes,” said Bertholdt as Armin attempted to extrapolate based on the size of the Walls and his brain shuddered to a stop. “The number I’m reaching is in the millions.”

Bertholdt was reluctantly impressed at the mental arithmetic. “Now imagine every single one of them waking up at once, bent on destruction.”

Eren screwed up his face. “But you said there were only a few distinct kinds of Titans, now you’re saying there’s millions of Colossal Titans?”

“Only a few that can change back,” said Reiner, tapping his forehead. “Or think.”

 _Thinking is a stretch for what’s happening in here_ said the Armored Titan, to general chuckles and sympathetic look from his siblings. Meanwhile, his Shifter was continuing.

“Imagine an artisan, making a piece of jewelry. She pours all her time, effort, and artistry into one and it is beautiful, unique. Then imagine the King wishes to see it on all his courtiers, so he orders copies. Over and over and over, the artisan works, but the jewelry isn’t quite the same, it’s lost something special. All the Titans within the Walls are Mindless copies of the original Colossal Titan, created by the Founding Titan, an implicit threat to everyone. And that’s not the worst part.”

Armin looked up. “It gets worse?”

“Annie, you take this one,” said Reiner. “My egg’s getting cold.”

The girl sighed, but she’d already finished her breakfast, so she had no excuse. “I said yesterday that wars have been fought over the Titans in the past.” She looked at Mikasa, who nodded in confirmation. “Well, the reason none of us remember those wars is because the Founding Titan possesses the power to alter memories. It’s why knowledge of the past is so heavily restricted, and invention is discouraged by the Military Police, lest either upset the status quo inside the Walls.”

Armin’s dawning expression of horror made something inside of Annie pang in sympathy and she reached out to take his hand. He looked down at it, then back at her. “So my parents-“

“It’s likely,” she admitted, even as she felt Bertholdt and Reiner’s eyes boring into her. “All those restricted books you used to read, that’s history that can’t be altered by the Founding Titan.”

Armin gave a weak smile and squeezed her hand. “Well, I can think of one book that we put to good use.”

The other blonde blushed as Mikasa’s mouth dropped open. _Oh Founder,_ moaned her Guardian as she buried her head in her hands. _Someone knock me out, I can’t stand this. I’m so jealous._

 _The Katavatanna Sudeja,_ gloated the Female Titan, _is one of the most comprehensive sexual tomes ever compiled, spanning over three hundred and twelve years of continuous development and refinement by the high temples of Sudeja._

 _And you know this how?_ asked the Armored Titan with trepidation.

His sister’s grin was almost as wide as the Attack Titan’s by now. _I wrote an ent-ire chapter myself when we visited in 759 as ambassadors._

 _Beaumonts,_ grumbled the Attack and Colossal Titans as one. The Guardian stormed over and shoved one of her silver blades so far into the Attack Titan’s presence it almost disappeared up his left nostril. _Enough fooling around,_ she grumbled. _Next chance we get, I’m helping my Ackerman destroy Jaeger’s pelvis._

 _I’m not getting involved in this-_ tried the Attack Titan, but his cousin was having none of it.

_Jaeger is so thick you could use him to reinforce Wall Rose. No, you’re going to nudge him along, Mister I-helped-deliver-a-bunch-of-babies, and we’re going to make sure my Ackerman has a night to remember!_

_Is anyone going to back me up?_ asked the Titan, but the Female Titan was crying with laughter and Armored was barely keeping himself upright.

 _I will avenge this,_ promised the Attack Titan, but none of the others took the words to heart.

Below, Mikasa’s eyes were moving back and forth between the two blondes, as Annie’s question from the previous night suddenly made more sense. “I see,” was all she said, but the look she gave Annie contained a promise of unspeakable torment if the blonde broke Armin’s heart. Annie was working very hard to not meet anyone’s eyes, staring at a point just beyond Eren’s head as she continued.

“As we said, the Founding Titan has always been regarded with a mixture of awe and fear for its power, but despite all the events that have transpired, its owner, presumably the King, has not used it. When the Colossal and Armored Titans brought down Wall Maria, we,” she indicated herself, Bertholdt, and Reiner, “held our breath waiting for the Founder’s response, but the nobles in Wall Sina decided to send 250,000 people to their deaths to solve a food shortage.”

Her voice was bitter and Reiner’s gaze darkened as he stared into the embers of their fire. Bertholdt looked between them, but kept his mouth shut as Annie barreled on. “So we decided to join the military, get into the MP’s, and figure out what the hell’s going on with the Founder. Then you show up, and know even less than us. You can see why we acted impulsively.”

Eren’s eyebrows came together as the Attack Titan’s indignity and his own united in a chord of vibrating anger. “ _A king who cannot protect his people, is no king at all_.” He curled his hands into fists. “He let all this happen…my mother…all this suffering…it is unforgivable!”

He bolted to his feet as the other Shifters twitched in surprise, but Eren’s fiery spirit was boiling. “Let’s get to the Capitol, grab this guy, and get some answers!”

“Eren!” Armin’s hand dragged him back to his log. “Think, if a frontal assault would’ve worked, don’t you think Annie would have tried that before? Not even the two of you could take on all three of the Wall’s Legions.”

 _Hmf, we could try,_ snorted the Attack Titan. _We’ve toppled monarchies before._

 _With significant support,_ reminded the Colossal Titan. _Don’t be too overeager._

 _I’m not going anywhere,_ snorted the green-eyed Will, _just let me daydream._

 _Don’t see why you need to_ , said Armor. _You already slaughtered the Royal Family and the Founder’s slumbering inside you._

 _And yet,_ pointed out the Guardian with a gesture at Eren’s skull, _the problem of Karl Fritz remains._

That subdued the other Wills and they turned their attention back to their hosts as Bertholdt spoke with a heavy sigh. “So now, not only are we further away from the Founder than ever before, now every town in the Walls is going to want our heads on pikes.”

“Every town?” Armin turned to Bertholdt, who swallowed down the biting response that rose on his tongue. “What about your hometown, the people who trained you?” He glanced at Annie. “Your father?”

“I-“ She blinked and stood up. “That’s not entirely…Reiner, Bertholdt, Warrior meeting, right now.”

She stood up and fired a grappling line up into the trees, with Reiner and Bertholdt close behind her. Once they were far enough away even Mikasa’s scarily accurate hearing couldn’t pick them up, Annie whipped around. “This is our best chance to go home, Armin just handed it to us on a silver platter, and they might just join us…”

“But?” prompted Bertholdt with a knowing look.

“We still don’t have the Founder, we lost Jaw and Marcel and after three years, only have a replacement Titan to show for it. How do you think the Marleyan brass will react?”

“We have plenty of intelligence about the society and military capabilities of the Legions here,” pointed out Reiner. “And if Maria and Trost didn’t cause the Rumbling, nothing will. We can come back with the full might of the Warriors, hell, the entire Marleyan military, and raze this island to the ground.” He didn’t sound enthusiastic and Bertholdt locked eyes with his friend. “Are you prepared to bet the lives of the rest of the world on that? What if the Founder just wants to stay fat and happy inside Wall Sina? The moment that comfort is breached, he might start the Rumbling.”

“Tch.” Annie was pacing back and forth on their tree branch.”That does seem the most likely scenario, considering how the monarchy’s been operating for the last five or six years. Or maybe whoever holds the Founding Titan doesn’t realize what it can do. It would explain the lack of response, especially to that plague that happened before we came here. From what the Titan Research Society said, the Founder could solve it like,” she snapped her fingers.”

“But Eren’s father cured it,” pointed out Bertholdt. “Could he have stolen the Founder and cured the disease with medicine as a cover?”

“Again, we come back to the mystery of Eren Jaeger,” grumbled Annie. “On Wall Rose, he mentioned a basement. That should be our first objective after we get enough supplies and whatever we find, we take them back to Marley from there.”

“To where?” Reiner looked at her with confusion. ”I thought we were taking Eren and his Titan back to the Walls.”

 _Look out!_ warned the Colossal, but it was too late.

Bertholdt whirled and punched Reiner in the face with his entire weight behind it, sending the other teenager stumbling backwards, clutching his face. “What the hell, Bertholdt?”

“I’m so sick of you both!” ranted Bertholdt as he rained punches on Reiner’s arms and undefended gut. “Both of you, coming up with any excuse you can to stay here, where you can pretend like we have lives, like we’re real people! We’re not! We’re not even soldiers!”

Mikasa appeared from behind him on a column of steam, blades out as Reiner’s temper surged and he snatched Bertholdt’s arm and wrenched it back, making the taller boy scream. “What then, Bertholdt? Three years in the 104th, and we endured Trost, what are we if not soldiers? Traitors? Is that what we are?”

“We’re Warriors!” roared Bertholdt, ignoring his suddenly limp arm as he shook Reiner by his shirt. “Do you remember that? Pieck, Zeke, Marcel? Your real family?”

Reiner went limp as the memories surged inside his head, toxic memories of shattering Shiganshina’s inner gate, the starvation of being a refugee, and the daily drumbeat reminder as people died around them of starvation, disease, or robbery, that _this is all your fault._

His mother’s radiant face as she waved him goodbye and the sea carried the four child Warriors toward Paradis, right next to the desperation on Marcel’s as he took Reiner’s place inside the jaws of a Titan. The Armored Titan planted his presence and heaved back, pushing the Warrior’s memories away even as they scorched his plates black and singed his hair. _Any advice?_ He groaned to his fellow Wills. _This see-saw of belief and perspective is breaking him, even with my protection he’s getting worse, less tethered to reality._

The flat of Mikasa’s blades slapped Bertholdt away as lightning flashed below them. Massive Titan fingers scooped the Warriors off the tree and cupped them in separate hands. Annie looked up to see Eren’s skull visage frowning down at them, Armin hanging from a strand of hair. “Can one of you explain what’s going on?” he demanded for both of them.

“He’s crazy!” exclaimed Reiner and Bertholdt at the same time, pointing through a cage of fingers at the other.

“Will both of you shut up?” said Annie as she glared at Reiner next to her. “Reiner, what are you right now, a Warrior or a Soldier?”

Jet-black sludge surged against the Armored Titan and the Titan Will groaned as a memory of a parent’s rejection ate away at the armor around his eye. _Help?_

 _I’ve got you!_ called the Guardian and Female Titan as they vanished into Reiner’s skull. The teenager clasped his head inhis hands and sobbed like a child. “I don’t know anymore! I’m a failure, you all hate me and I deserve it! When have I ever done anything right?”

“You saved our lives on Wall Rose,” said Armin as he landed next on the cage of fingers above them. “And you saved Connie when Mikasa and Annie couldn’t kill her Titan in time.”

Inside Reiner’s psyche, the Female Titan’s crystalline arms had slowed his self-loathing even further, as the Guardian bent down to feel the Titan Shifter’s mind. This was going to break the rules once again, but this was a crisis situation, damm it!

 _What do you want, Reiner Braun?_ asked a voice Reiner could not recall hearing before.

“All I ever wanted was to be a hero,” he croaked as Annie, Armin, and Mikasa stared down at him, kneeling on Eren’s palm. “And instead, I became a monster.”

“You’re not a monster,” soothed Mikasa as she tried to drag him to his feet. “I’ve met monsters who looked at me like a piece of meat to sell. You’re not like that, you care too much for your friends.”

“That’s the problem,” said Annie as she crossed her arms to hide how much Reiner’s words were hitting home. “He cares too much.”

“As if you’re any better!” shouted Bertholdt from his own cage of fingers. “You hypocrite!”

 _You don’t have to be a hero, Reiner Braun,_ whispered the Armored Titan as he bent to join his cousin. _That is a crown you will chafe against. But you can be the protector you were destined to be since the day they slipped a syringe into your neck._

“A protector…” The others looked down as Reiner spoke unprompted, his arm brushing away moisture from his face. His voice was rough. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.”

“Reiner?” asked Armin cautiously. “Who are you talking to?”

The teenager stood up and took a deep shuddering breath.

 _Pop_!

Eren’s Titan grunted in alarm as Bertholdt cursed. A series of smoke flares could now be seen through the trees, two black and one green, pointing in their direction.

“The Survey Corps! Damn they’re fast,” swore Bertholdt. “Any ideas?”

“They’re looking for us,” suggested Armin as he bundled their meagre supplies into a bundle and flew back to Eren’s shoulder. “Let’s use the forest, circle around and head back to the Walls!”

“Why would we do that?” asked Annie as Eren began to run East and she caught Armin’s smirk as he joined her in the Titan’s hand. “One, because we’re going to need more supplies, and two, because it’s the last possible place they’d expect us to be.”

Twenty minutes later, they all held their breath as horses thundered past below in an endless stream, the green cloaks of the Survey Corps blending nicely with the shadows and greenery of the forest floor. By contrast, the Attack Titan, muscles straining as Eren held himself up between three clustered redwoods, was as obvious as a raspberry, if anyone had bothered to look up. But precious few Mindless Titans, even Aberrants, possessed the ability to climb, and the Scouts were looking for the more obvious Titans lumbering through the forest. That one could or indeed, wanted to hide from them, was an idea only Hanji Zoe had so far proposed.

There was a groan of wood as one of the smaller, thinner redwoods threatened to give way under Eren’s straining right hand. The humans perched on Eren’s head all subtly leaned away or braced for sudden failure. Bertholdt was sweating buckets while Reiner was staring down at the passing horses with a stricken expression. Annie kept flicking her ring open, the oiled mechanism silent as the sharp point it held glinted in the morning sunlight. Armin had twined his arms into Eren’s hair up to the elbow, which must’ve hurt, but his friend was trembling with the effort of staying aloft. Even though Titans were lighter than they should have been, a Titan body was still a vast amount of mass for gravity to work against. Even the Titan Wills were silent, though they’d spent the last half hour debating the merits of such blatant interference once again. The last 48 hours had seen them interfere more in their host’s active mental state than they had in the past 48 years and there had been much finger-pointing.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the cascade of horses finally slowed to a trickle, followed by rattling supply wagons. Mikasa and Reiner’s stomachs rumbled at the sight, which prompted nervous laughter from the Guardian. _Founder, please don’t let us get discovered because these two were hungry._

 _Guardian_ , said Armor tersely as he followed Reiner’s gaze downwards, _you’ve been a great help but please shut up._

Mikasa’s eyes narrowed as she felt a faint prickle of irritation that was not her own directed at Reiner. She glanced over at Annie and the irritation vanished, back to Reiner and there it was again. She thought about Reiner’s breakdown that had been interrupted by the advancing Survey Corps, about how Eren had been muttering promises of murder atop Wall Rose, and about her own despair when Armin had confessed that Eren had been eaten mere hours before that. Inside her mind, the Guardian looked on with worry as Mikasa’s mind ran through the events of the last few days putting together the scraps of information that had slipped past lips and minds.

Finally, even the supply wagons and straggler Scouts with extra horses clopped past, with a few Titans in pursuit. One obese Titan stopped its pursuit of a blonde rider and looked around, nostrils pulsing as a scent on the air brought with it the faint memory of-

The Attack Titan landed on its Aberrant descendant with the force of a falling star and twice the fury as Bertholdt swooped down with outstretched blades and cut away the nape in one clean swipe. The runaways looked up to see Krista Lenz and Ymir looking back at them with gaping, awestruck expressions.

 _Oh hey guys!_ Cheered Jaw with some of her brother’s acidity in her voice. _I would’ve appreciated a heads-up before you went on the run, but hey, it’s no problem._ Then her voice turned to the clipped, professional reporting dozens of Jaw Shifters had used after running across battlefields and countries to their leaders. _Quick update: the Paradisans are hunting you, there’s a creepy bearded Ackerman working for the King interested in Mikasa, nobody in the Capitol knows where the Founder is, and Kirstein’s the Hero of Trost now, for some reason, don’t ask me why. Oh, also Ymir’s thinking about seriously proposing to Krista!_

 _My turn,_ said the Colossal Titan, speaking quickly over the Female Titan’s excited cheering. _Warriors are fracturing and doing a bad job of hiding it, Braun’s cracking, Armor and Guardian had to do a psychological patch job, Hoover’s furious at everyone and Leonhardt is now leading them. Anything else?_

The skinless Will half-turned back as the Attack Titan put one massive finger to its teeth and groaned a passable “sssshhh” at Ymir and Krista. Armin, waved down at Krista, who returned the gesture half-heartedly before Ymir grabbed the reins of her saddle and they began to sidle away.

 _Guardian’s promised to have her Ackerman crush Jaeger’s pelvis,_ chuckled the Armored Titan, which had Jaw’s form wink cheekily at the other two Female Wills. _About time! Now, get going, I’ll buy you as much time as I can!_

At Eren’s urging, his Titan rose to its full height and began to run away as Krista pulled a black flare from her bag and Ymir urged their horses into a gallop. “Don’t fire yet!” the freckled girl hissed, to Krista’s bewilderment.

“Why?”

Ymir jerked her head in the direction of the green-eyed Titan festooned with armed cadets attached to its shoulders. “Do you really want to be the first ones fighting alone against all that?”

Krista sighed. “Do you want to be responsible for the fall of Wall Rose?”

“Those idiots sealed it closed behind them when they easily could’ve done far worse!”

Ymir grabbed the black flare and shoved it into her saddlebag. “There’s something else going on here and I want to survive long enough to figure out what it is, don’t you?”

Her girlfriend pulled a yellow flare and the look in her eyes dared Ymir to try and grab it again. “Of course I do! That doesn’t mean I’m going to let them just run away!”

Giving Ymir plenty of time to stop her, Krista reached up and fired the flare as Ymir looked back. It might’ve just been her imagination, but the shaggy-haired Titan almost seemed to flinch at the _pop_ of its explosion. It began to run faster.

_________________________________________________________

Fortunately for everyone involved, an organization the size of the Scouting Legion, no matter how efficient its messaging system, would take time to receive Krista’s relayed message, turn around, and race back towards the runaway 104th Cadets. Soon enough, Eren Jaeger just became a moving brown dot on the horizon.

After Reiner and Bertholdt had another screaming match, this time about Reiner’s mother, Eren had given up on diplomacy and trapped them both in his hands with Mikasa as temporary warden. This left Annie and Armin to perch on Eren’s head, swaying with the motion as he ran back towards the wall.

“So, are we finally going to get to talk?” asked Armin in an expectant tone.

The other blonde made a show of looking around. “It’s not like there are other ways to pass the time.” The Female Titan hadn’t even fully formed the lewd rejoinder in her head before her brother shushed her and her host let out a long-suffering sigh. “Where do you want to start?”

Armin was silent as he collected his thoughts and his human mind meant the Wills had no way to anticipate what was going on inside that enormous blonde coconut.

His nervous smile did not reassure Annie in the slightest.

“Well for starters, a lot of our conversations during training make a lot more sense now. Is Warrior an official title, or something you came up with on your own?”

“It’s official,” said Annie, staring back at him as her shoulders braced for the barrage of questions. “Before you really hit your stride Armin, I just want to warn you. We made some promises, before we came here, so there’s some things I really can’t answer, as much as I would like to. It would be dangerous for both of us.”

“Like where your hometown is?”

“We’ve survived this long because we knew how to keep our mouths shut,” retorted Annie. “We’re dealing with a Titan Shifter who can erase memories, remember? I had hoped we could keep things low-key.”

“Trost wasn’t very low-key.” Armin fired right back. “So which one was the Colossal Titan? I’m going to guess Reiner.”

Annie’s blood turned to ice and she had to force every muscle of her hyper-trained body to not react. “I don’t know what you mean,” she said in as calm a voice as she could manage.

Armin made a strangled note himself as his face fell. “What I just don’t understand is why? Why give children that kind of power? Your father, or whoever told you to do that, they must’ve trusted you a lot to just…send you out on a mission like that. And that’s assuming anything you ever said to me wasn’t just a lie!”

Blue eyes met blue and Annie found she couldn’t look away. “Was it a lie?” he asked and Annie felt the truth, long denied and suppressed, spill forward. “No,” she said. “No, I never lied to you. Considering how honest you always were with me, how open, I felt like whatever I could say, being honest was the least I could do. Does that make sense?”

Armin sat down, leaving his grappling anchors in Eren’s head, and buried his head between his knees. “Kind of,” he admitted. “So all this stuff about the Rumbling, and the Founding Titan-“

“Is why we’re here, yes.”

“And I’m guessing the lie they fed you, before Reiner kicked a hole in Shiganshina’s gate, was that you were saving the world?”

“Is there anything you haven’t figured out?” Annie asked sarcastically, trying to hide how unsettled she was. This boy somehow kept going, talking through her silences, seeing through all the crystal she put around her heart. Armin looked up.

"Still working on all the pieces, but until I understand, I'll keep my mouth shut. It's not like Eren would react well and none of us are in the best position to fight, not that I want to."

"Fair." allowed Annie, though the single word hid a fair amount of relief as the image of Reiner and Bertholdt crushed between Eren's palms receded somewhat from her mind's eye. Armin continued.

“The other thing I'm struggling with is, why save me? Back on Wall Rose, I get why you’d want to save Eren if he’s this Attack Titan, Mikasa too, as she’d follow him anywhere, but why’d you save me?”

He gave her this broken little smile and Annie knew for sure that she was doomed as she allowed a half-smile onto her face. “Somehow, and I’m absolutely blaming you for this, you’ve become important to me, Armin Arlert.”

The other blonde’s expression flickered through surprise, joy, confusion, and settled on suspicion. “That’s it? I can promise you, I’m not in secret contact with an army of disaffected rebels my parents created.” Annie let out a little snort-laugh, which at least eased some of the suspicion away from Armin’s face. “I don’t approach everything with an ulterior motive in mind Armin. Sometimes, I just appreciate your company.”

“Well, considering how everyone else in the 104th seems to have hidden secrets, I figured I should make sure,” joked the other blonde.

Annie found herself laughing again and, when she realized the others could likely hear her, clammed her lips shut with frightening speed as the Female Titan examined the contours of her mind with worry.

“Are we going to talk about that?’

“Hmmm?”

“Every time you get close to showing genuine emotion, especially with me, you just shut down.”

Annie was silent long enough that Armin began to worry that she’d dropped out of the conversation entirely, but that wasn’t the case. Rather, the Female Titan and Annie herself were raising and discarding half a dozen or more approaches to the idea without revealing things Reiner and Bertholdt would absolutely eat her for. Not to mention the Titan-sized amount of emotional repression Annie had layered around herself as a matter of psychological survival. Finally, when Armin had almost forgotten his question and was about to lean down to check on Eren, she spoke.

“Showing emotion is…difficult for me, Armin. Like I told Mikasa, none of us have had happy childhoods. Reiner and Bertholdt…they’d view it as weakness, a sign I’d failed as a Warrior. They're hypocrites, but still, their accusations would carry weight back home.”

Armin’s eyebrows came together as he frowned. “That doesn’t sound like a place you’d want to go back to, so why are Reiner and Bertholdt so driven to get back there? Why are you?”

Annie shrugged helplessly in her stained white hoodie. “It’s all we knew for years, it’s where our families were. Are. Whatever. What, were you going to suggest starting a new life with you?”

Armin turned bright crimson and looked away as Annie realized how that sounded, she blushed an equal shade of scarlet as she continued. “You and I both know life isn’t that kind. One way or another, the world inside the Walls is going to have to change, and it won’t be for the better.”

“What if we drive that change ourselves?”

Annie looked at the boy she was growing to love and cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“The Founding Titan is dangerous, so we need to take it out of commission to prevent both the Rumbling and from making us forget it exists. Your hometown doesn’t seem great, because when I asked if we could get support there, you dragged Reiner and Bertholdt away to talk and they had breakdowns. The Survey Corps and the rest of the soldiers of the Walls are after us because of Trost. The obvious solution is to solve all these problems at once.”

“Those are problems too big to solve even for Titan Shifters,” admitted Annie. “The six of us can only do so much.”

The Attack Titan drifted up out of Eren’s head to gaze down at the blondes with something like glee. _Is Arlert seriously planning…_

 _Yes,_ admitted the Female Titan, _I think he is._

“I think we can do enough,” said Armin with a smile that echoed the Titan below him. “I mean, with all those alternative modes of government I came up with in my spare time, overthrowing the monarchy should be something we can do.”

________________________________________________________

_Two hours earlier…_

“Morning Jean!” cheered Sasha as she caught sight of a familiar face in the crowd of twenty-something Garrison soldiers milling around one of Trost’s outlying squares that morning. Jean, who’d been watching the dumbwaiters bringing horses over Wall Rose for the Survey Corps, looked momentarily blank for a moment before his face softened and he allowed Sasha to engulf him in a bear hug and cover him in pastry flakes. “Nice to see you too, Sasha,” he said. “Where’s your other half?”

“Huh? Oh, Connie said he saw someone and ran off. Hey, you joined the Garrison too? I thought you were gonna go for the MPs like Marco.”

Jean’s smile was forced, but Sasha mercifully didn’t notice. “Well, fighting alongside them made me realize they’re not as bad as I thought, plus I figure if I can stick around on the Walls and make sure my mom is safe, then that’s what’s really important.”

Sasha’s expression melted. “Aww, Jean you really are a Momma’s boy, isn’t that sweet! Eren was right about…” She trailed off and Jean shuffled his feet as they remembered that half of their friends were now on the run somewhere beyond the walls and apparently two of them were Titans. “Sorry…”

As Jean was about to change the subject to something less depressing, like exactly what kind of crumbs she had left on his shirt, he heard Connie’s distinctive Dauper Village twang emanate from the crowd. “Oi, oi, oi! Krista!”

Jean’s heart plummeted. He didn’t think he could lie directly to the face of the 104th’s resident Sun Goddess, it would’ve been like tripping a saint, but luck was with him yet as Connie emerged from the crowd with a beaming Krista Lenz and an eye-rolling Ymir behind him.

“Oh great, these goofballs,” groaned Ymir. “Connie, rubbing your bald head for good luck was a great idea, but I don’t think it needs to be a group thing.”

Connie gave her the finger reflexively as he guided them over and slipped Sasha another breakfast roll. The others took a step back as the Garrison’s new Titan began to eat and took in each other’s new uniforms. Sasha, Jean and Connie both had the Garrison rose on their shoulders, with their jacket collars popped up to copy what was clearly some subtle fashion trend among the older Garrison members while Ymir and Krista were wrapped in the deep green of the Survey Corps, the “Wings of Freedom” flapping proudly in the breeze. Ymir cast a critical eye at Jean.

“Didn’t think someone so self-interested as you would pick the Garrison, thought you’d be MP’s for sure. And wasn’t that your dream Connie? Jeeze, everybody’s scattering now. Feels kinda weird after all this time.”

Jean supposed that was the closest Ymir could everget to saying ”I’ll miss you” so he took it. “Yeah, well I didn’t expect you to join the Survey Corps.”

Ymir gave them a wry grin and pinched Krista’s cheek. “Well, when I said I’d follow Krista to the ends of the Earth, I meant it, and it was her choice, so now we’re in the Survey Corps! Gotta protect her cute little butt from all those Titans!”

The shorter blonde stuck out her tongue. “Yeah, well you’re so gangly, the Titans are probably just going to spit you back out!”

They all laughed and for a moment, it seemed like everything was going to be alright, then Mike Zacharius broke the spell as he strode up, one hand on his swords. “Ymir, Lenz, let’s go. Your horses are going up next and do try to stick with the group. We’ll need you sharp and since both of you survived Trost, we’re cutting you some slack, but we need to stay together out there.”

He sniffed and turned to Sasha.

“Cream cheese and strawberry jam, an interesting combination soldier.”

Sasha swallowed heavily and tried to hide the remnants of her second breakfast behind her back while she saluted. “Thank you sir! I find I do my best dedications to humanity’s survival on a full stomach, sir!”

“Don’t we all,” Mike said as he strode away. Connie tugged on Krista’s sleeve. “Listen, I know Ymir was just messing with me, but if you wanna rub my head for good luck, all of you, I won’t mind.”

Krista smiled. “I’m just glad you were able to see us off Connie. “Here, since Sasha ate your roll, you can have mine instead.” She tried to offer the preserve-filled roll to Connie, but Ymir snatched it out of her hand and shoved it into her mouth. “Ugh, you’re too kind for your own good, again! I don’t care if you were nervous this morning, you gotta eat!”

She steered Krista away towards Mike while the three Garrison members waved her goodbye.

“She’ll be fine,” Sasha said as she hefted the pile of firewood that had been sitting next to her. “Ymir was no slouch, remember, she only got 11th by sheer luck, those slippery branches on the obstacle course, remember?”

“Yeah!” said Jean, cheering himself up. “Plus, remember when Krista was the first one to figure out how to fly upside-down? Even your aerial improvisation took some time to work that out Sasha.”

Jean picked up Connie’s stack of firewood and followed the other two trainees back towards the battered Garrison castle they’d flown out of the day before when the shorter boy finally asked the question they’d been avoiding the entire morning. “So, do you think the 37th Expedition will find Annie, Eren, and the others? Out there, I mean?”

Sasha frowned. “There’s gotta be some explanation though. I mean, they were all our friends for years! People just don’t betray you that easily.”

“Can I be honest?” asked Jean to mutual nods. He sighed. “Part of me hopes they do, but most of me hopes they don’t. Let life get back to normal for a little bit.”

“Hey, it’s the Hero of Trost!”

“Yeah, you’re right, the one who drove off Jaeger!”

Heads began to turn and Jean slammed his head into the firewood in frustration. “One normal day, that’s all I ask. Just one normal, boring day.”

“Woah, Krost, come check it out, Jean Kierstein joined the Garrison!”

“Can I carry that for you, sir?”

“I’m not a sir!” snapped Jean at the Garrison soldier twice his height. “Listen man, I’m not a hero, and I’m not looking for special favors!”

“Exactly right!” boomed Kitz Weilman as the growing knot of Garrison soldiers arrived in the courtyard of the same building they’d deployed from the day before. “As pleased as I am that Private Kierstein was able to recognize my exemplary command in the field, he will not be allotted any special status in this battalion!”

“Battalion?” echoed Jean as Kitz preened.

“Yes, soldiers in light of our exemplary service yesterday, our promptness in identifying and excising the Titan threat, not only have I been promoted to Captain, but we will be recognized in Wall Sina in a week’s time! Until then, I expect every soldier in this unit to work as hard as I will in restoring this castle from the Titan’s depredations!”

“He’s using big words today,” muttered a soldier in front of Sasha.

“Either he wants to feel important, or Brezinska’s loss hit him harder than we thought,” muttered the woman next to him. “I won’t miss her, she kept cleaning me out on poker night.”

“Yeah, but did you hear how she went out?”

The woman sucked air in through her teeth as Captain Kitz continued speaking about enduring vigilance. “I heard it was rough.”

“It was that girl with the scarf, Mikasa Ackerman. Snapped Brezinska’s blade in half and stabbed her with it.”

“What, like in a swordfight?”

“That’s the thing, the girl did it with her bare hands! Listen, I’ve got an uncle in the MPs who used to live in Wall Maria…”

As Jean, Sasha, and Connie listened in horror, the Garrison soldier proceeded to describe how after a doctor had discovered a hideous murder at the Ackerman’s cabin, the MPs had found Mikasa and Eren Jaeger covered in blood several miles away and with three grown men pincushioned with knives.

“I’m telling you, those kids were just waiting to blow up. Titans in human form, they probably got their rocks off killing humans.”

“Hey!” Sasha strode forward, her firewood abandoned and dragged the man around by the shoulder to jab a finger in his face. “Mikasa Ackerman was kind and funny, an’ patient in the three years I was bunkin’ with her in the 104th! Now, I dunno anythin’ about whatever kinda bull you’re spoutin’, but Mikasa wouldn’t do anything like that-“

“Private Braus!” bellowed Captain Weilman as he pointed at her. “Have you been holding back vital information on the traitors who have been hiding in our midst? It sounds like you were familiar with Ackerman, need I remind you that she is the reason why the three of you new recruits are filling the boots of my subordinates who died to her blades?”

“I-“

Jean’s foot stamped down on her own and she shut up at once. “Sorry, sir!” called Jean as Connie tried to calm Sasha down. “We’re all still reeling from yesterday’s events.” He gestured at the courtyard. “I mean, the bloodstains haven’t even been scrubbed out yet.”

There were nodding heads, but also a few glares sent their way as the new Garrison members from the 104th slowly became the epicenter of attention once again. Captain Weilman smiled behind his beard. “Excellent point Private Kierstein,” he said. “So that you do not forget what your fellow members of the 104th trainee corps have done, you’ll be part of the squad cleaning this square, then you’ll move on to the rest of the floors. Be sure to get every last bit of blood out. Everyone else, you know your duties. Dismissed!”

As he picked up Connie’s firewood and headed for the kitchens as well as a mop, Jean could feel all the eyes on his back and hit his head against the stack again. He was going to be the worst spy ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure: I'm probably going to slip up and call the Survey Corps the Scouting Legion or 3DMG the ODMG. Whichever! Point is, I apologize in advance for that.   
> Also, I know in-story it makes no sense for Annie and Armin to be having a conversation literally on top of Eren's head, and Eren can't hear them, but let's just say he catches every fourth word or so. I'm absolutely handwaving this one, just like how a bunch of the characters now know how to ride horses when in canon, they had a month after Trost to learn. Let's just pretend everyone learned in Training this time, that's plausible. 
> 
> I apologize that there's less of the Titan Wills compared to the Trost chapters, but I'm trying my best. Because they're showing up less in these chapters, I'm trying to not simplify the Titan Wills down to one-dimensional characters, but I fear I might still be inadvertently doing that in the service of comedy. Let me know if you feel that's happening.  
> Eren's also quiet this Chapter for a reason, besides, y'know, being a Titan.  
> Hopefully I'm able to get my medication refilled this week so I can actually concentrate on things for longer than 20 minutes at a time and you dear readers can get more chapters. As always, comments keep me invigorated to continue writing and improving my work, so let me know what you like or don't like!


	21. Walls and Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Attack Titan remembers a faster way up Wall Rose while Armin and Annie make dangerous gamble with the Survey Corps.

Bertholdt was staring out of the Attack Titan’s fingers at the landscape and Reiner kept gazing at his hands with a horrified expression. This left Mikasa, their ostensible warden, with less of a need to keep the peace than she had thought, so her plan to distract herself from the creeping suspicion in her mind was going terribly. Instead her thoughts swirled around inside her head, inescapable and omnipresent.

Eren had been injected with something, or had something done to him, that had made him into this “Attack Titan”. Could Doctor Jaeger, who Mikasa had trusted unreservedly for his quiet kindness, have done something similar to her? Since his transformation the day before,Eren had occasionally spoken in a voice that wasn’t quite his own, said things he would never say. The same boy who had wrapped a scarf around her after the worst day of her life couldn’t gloat in his sleep about mass slaughter, could he? On the other hand, what he’d said about the King’s failure to protect his people, with affronted rage in his voice, that was definitely something Eren would say. She moved on to the other clues she had, how Titan Shifters could heal even as humans, and she looked back through her memories, which were harder to access than they should have been. The serum had made him forget…

Mikasa shuddered and resisted the urge to rub her arms as above her the Guardian tossed invisible hair in frustration.

 _Alright, I’m open to suggestions here cousins. She’s ruminating on the Power of the Titans and is getting close to figuring out we exist,_ admitted the Guardian miserably.

Armor groaned from inside Reiner’s head. _Can we go twenty-four hours without some new revelation or chaos? I’m trying to rebuild Braun’s psyche from the inside out without him noticing and it’s not going very well. You can do subtle, Guardian, go subtle her memories or something!_

 _I still have an obligation to not interfere with my Mikasa’s personality,_ she replied. _I’m slowing the synaptic speeds as she tries to access certain memories, but I normally let her memory be so clear, she’s noticing even this slight discrepancy now that she’s looking for it. It’s only making her more suspicious._

_TWO THOUSAND YEARS!_ screamed the Female Titan as she shook a crystalline fist at the Guardian. _Our existence is a secret for two thousand years and you dunderheads undo it in a matter of days._

 _Peace_ , soothed the Colossal as he tried and failed to project an aura of calm. _We have survived catastrophe before. After all, there are decades where nothing happens, then there are weeks where decades happen_ _. It’s not like this is an unusual phenomenon among the Ackermans._

His cousin’s invisible head swung around to stare, and even Armor poked his head out in curiosity. _I’ve never heard this story._

 _I’ve kept it in strict confidence, but considering everyone involved is long dead, perhaps it can be instructive._ The Colossal’s voice settled into a familiar storytelling cadence the Wills so often used _. Without the Ancestral Memories at my fingertips, the exact dates are uncertain, but it was shortly after Duke Radcliffe was promoted to a Lord in the waning years of the Empire. Yuliya Ackerman, his bodyguard, had been able to sense and dodge a volley of musket fire thanks to her Guardian’s timely warning. However, the guns had been fired from her blind side, yet the woman was still able to dodge them perfectly. Like Mikasa, this set Yuliya on the hunt for answers, and she became aware of her Guardian within two years of self-examination. She confided this to Lord Radcliffe and unknowingly to myself as well. We judged that as the Guardians are forbidden from influencing their host’s personalities, this was not as dire as it seemed. However, I surmised the reason for this discovery is one you may be interested in Guardian._

The silver woman was hovering over Mikasa’s head with an anxious expression as the girl cut her finger and peered down to see if it steamed closed. _Please do._

 _Because you are an artificial Will, formed from and with the intent of influencing a human host by the Founder, your thought patterns are closer to human and thus, closer to the surface of your Ackerman’s mind. The very methods you use to keep her safe make your existence easiest to discover._ Dark eyes glared over at Armor. _Your continued meddling in Braun’s mind likewise increases such risk._

His brother glared back defensively, as he always did. _Braun was in a downward spiral that could only end one way and I’m tired of seeing Shifters try to kill themselves before they find a method that works. I have no desire to rebuild Braun’s skull or close the rents in his veins over and over. My whole existence is to ensure my Shifter’s survival, isn’t it?_

 _Mother being a notable exception,_ said the Colossal pointedly as Armor abandoned Braun’s body entirely to jab a still-healing finger at his brother. _Look she chose to die, so don’t even go there, you sound like the Attack Titan._

 _Boys!_ barked the Guardian, causing both wills to startle. _Reminding you, this isn’t about you, this is about me and my Ackerman figuring out I exist. So I suggest you ditch whatever new family drama you’ve stirred up and help me figure this out._

The Wills were silent before the Attack Titan chuckled far above. _She’s got a point._

Colossal bowed his massive head in contrition. _Indeed. For now, use a light touch and do little to arouse her suspicion. When she is certain of your existence, try to soothe her in whatever way you can. Dreams are the easiest method, for they often vanish upon waking, but allow the mind to retain vague memories. Useful for your purposes as well, Armor._

 _Thanks,_ said the Guardian in a mix of gratitude and preoccupation. _I’ll get back then._

She disappeared into Mikasa’s mind as the girl thought about Annie’s shocked expression as she described her Titan transformation. _A surge of energy, like lightning through my limbs as they grow around me, the power, that’s just like what you described._ Mikasa thought about that moment in the cabin, when Eren had convinced her to fight and she had done so. A sensation of change she couldn’t place but was still quite clear, the sudden strength and power, the absolute certainty, the knowledge of where exactly to stab with the knife to reach the kidnapper’s heart. Doctor Jaeger hadn’t been there for that, it could’ve been something earlier. He’d visited their little home before, making the trip all the way to the foot of the mountains to perform medical checkups, provide inoculations. That made sense, he’d been her parent’s doctor, and yet…Mikasa closed her eyes, pulling at the edges of a memory she could barely remember, even though things now seemed so much clearer. The first time she’d met Dr. Jaeger, with his scary-shiny glasses that looked like they could cut her despite the round lenses. He’d been keenly interested in her name and had spoken a great deal with her parents afterwards. The next time they’d met had been the day her parents died, the day she met Eren, who had been brought along just to meet her. Was that a coincidence, or something more?

Speaking of Eren, Mikasa looked up through the cage of fingers at the green-eyed skull visage she could see. It didn’t look terribly much like Eren right now, save for his eyes, but he’d protected her, even if he couldn’t remember it. Her heart swelled and Mikasa smiled into her scarf as she tugged it up. Eren was Eren and she was glad he was alive.

The Guardian sighed in relief as Mikasa’s train of thought moved towards safer, more enjoyable topics, like her love for the Attack Titan’s host.

That horrible moment in Trost, when Armin had begged her forgiveness, when she’d thought Eren dead and devoured, would surely never come about for a long time. From what Annie had said, Titan Shifters were very, very hard to kill. Which was good, because the despair she’d felt in that moment, that black anchor of pain as her world crumbled around her again…

There had been a whisper.

The Guardian utilized several choice swear words she’d picked up from the Titan Wills as the idea dawned in Mikasa’s mind.

 _Come on, dear heart,_ the voice had said. _Stand up now. You have to be strong, like me. You said, only the strong are victorious_.

“Only the strong,” said Mikasa to herself as Reiner looked up.

“Huh, you say something?”

Reiner had been talking to himself earlier as well.

Mikasa took a deep breath and tried not to wonder if the fear she felt now was her own.

“Reiner, I have a question.”

“Ask away.”

“Are there-“ She could barely get the words out, as if by saying them aloud, they became true. The Ackerman swallowed hard and tried again. “Are there any records of people in your village who weren’t Titan Shifters, but had different powers?”

Reiner raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? Is this about what that slimeball said on top of Wall Rose? Listen, I’m pretty sure you’re not a Titan Shifter, you’d have figured it out somehow.”

“Eren didn’t know until yesterday,” pointed out Bertholdt, who had evidently been listening.

Mikasa found her hands fiddling with her gear as she spoke, unusually for her. “I was just thinking about how Eren was talking to himself, then before the Survey Corps found us, so were you-“

“ _It’s been a rough couple of days_ ,” said Reiner with perhaps a little more emphasis than his normal cadence. “ _Once we find somewhere to hide and plan, things’ll be a little more normal_.”

“Did you hear a voice too?” asked Mikasa, dropping what little pretense she still had as Reiner’s eyes sharpened into something just this side of hostile.

“No. Why, have you been hearing voices?”

“No,” she lied.

They stared at one another in silence before Bertholdt groaned. “Blood of the Devil, we’re all going insane.”

 _My Shifter has a point,_ admitted the Colossal Titan. _Both of you, your interference is well-intentioned but it will lead only to misery._

 _My interference is going to lead to several orgasms,_ said the Guardian defensively. By the _Founder, can’t you just let me have this?_

_If it doesn't blow your cover first. You’re on thin ice._

Meanwhile, Bertholdt stood up, clinging to one of Eren’s fingers for support. “Where are those bottles of Vine-“

“Not the time,” said Reiner. “We’re back at Wall Rose.”

The early-morning mist that clung to the meadows and ivy-covered buildings of Wall Maria had hidden them somewhat, but as the Wall loomed on the horizon, the sun had risen high enough to burn it off. Any Mindless in the area had chased after the 37th Expedition, so Eren and company only had to worry about the distant shouting from atop the Wall as the Attack Titan ran closer.

“At least they haven’t replaced the cannons,” said Annie. “That makes things easier.”

A distant flash far above had the blonde eating her words and they all clung tight as Eren dodged to the side, the cannonball impacting with a great fountain of dirt next to them as a staccato of other flashes kicked off.

 _For once,_ said the Attack Titan to his family, _I am relieved the Walls refused to innovate. Rifling and Marleyan artillery is no joke._

A cannonball clipped Eren’s left arm and tore it away at the elbow. Eren grunted in pain as Reiner, at the Armored Titan’s urging, put his hand to his mouth. Bertholdt’s iron grip stopped him. “Just Annie, remember?” he hissed as more impacts hid his words from the others. “You and I are our ace in the hole.”

Reiner nodded and lowered his hand as Eren flattened himself against Wall Rose.

“great thinking Eren!” cheered Armin. “They must’ve dragged up wheeled cannons from storage, which can’t point straight down!”

“Doesn’t mean they won’t try,” said Annie as she flicked her hand out to open her ring, only to pause as something made of wood and steel smashed into the ground with an explosion of splinters. The rear of a cannon barrel protruded from the dirt it was embedded in and the group all looked up.

“Eren,” asked Armin curiously. “Can you do that crystal thing with your fingers? We need to climb the Wall, and I know I don’t have enough gas to make it to the top.”

The humans all slapped their gas canisters, gauging how much they had left based on the weight. The answer was not encouraging.

“Okay, so Reiner, Mikasa, and Bertholdt, maybe you guys head up-“ began Armin, but the Attack Titan cleared its throat as he nudged an idea into Eren’s mind and felt the boy latch onto it like an excited puppy. _This will be fun._

 _See, whenever you say that,_ said the Female Titan, _that’s when the rest of us have to start worrying._

Eren mimed tossing someone upwards and pointed at Mikasa, Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie. Bertholdt frowned alongside his Titan Will. “Wait, you want to try and throw us up there instead?”

“We’d be harder to hit if we were moving that fast,” said Armin, his hand at his chin. “The speed might disorient us though. Enough to make mistakes.”

A cannonshot impacted the Wall several meters above Eren’s head and ricocheted off into an old house, which exploded into rubble.

“I can handle it,” said Mikasa confidently. “It’s just like the acceleration tests they had us do in training.”

“Yeah,” said Reiner. “You’re the only one who didn’t puke your guts out.”

Mikasa’s expression faltered, but the Attack Titan shook his shaggy head and mimed the motions again, this time pointing a finger up for emphasis.

The Female Titan chuckled as the other Wills swung around. _Oh, this is rich,_ she said. _I can’t believe none of you thought of this. Remember Liberio?_

 _You’ll have to be more specific,_ said Armor. _Liberio was a major port for the northern half of the continent, we’ve been through there many times._

_I meant the evacuation of Liberio, how our dear brother escaped from Marley in the first place._

_Oh!_ Remarked her brother as the realization hit him. _Yes, that could work._

Mikasa was clambering into Eren’s hand while her Guardian looked around nervously at the clear anticipation on the Attack Titan’s expression.

 _I told you I would get payback,_ he said, before Eren dug in his feet and launched Mikasa upwards like the world’s deadliest javelin.

Armor whistled steam from between his teeth as he followed her trajectory and his Shifter clambered into Eren’s hand. _I’d forgotten what an arm you had._

 _Not quite like Beast’s current form,_ said his brother, _but it works._

Far above them, Mikasa had reached the apex of her arc, bare meters from the top of Wall Rose and she hung there in the air for an instant, the gaping faces of the Garrison soldiers meeting her grey eyes as they froze or backed away from the cannons. Then Mikasa’s grapnels shot out and she was upon them, emptying her mind of all doubt and questions as Guardian and Ackerman flowed into one being of pure combat efficiency.

Reiner and Bertholdt arrived several seconds later, both looking rather green, but they still landed on the Wall with sturdy legs. Mikasa had cleared out the knot of cannoneers around them and several other batteries were trying to wheel their cannons back to point in their direction. Bertholdt charged away from Mikasa, accelerating using his gas to get close as the humans drew swords of their own and charged with roars of anger. Cries of “For Trost!” rang out and Reiner froze as the Warrior within him surged again and he looked down at the still-warm bodies Mikasa had left in her wake. _Monster. You did this_.

 _She did this,_ pointed out the Armored Titan and was surprised when the rest of Reiner’s mind responded with grim affirmation. _No hesitation at all,_ he thought, trying to square the girl who’d helped him to his feet earlier with the whirling dervish of blades and blood several dozen meters away. He looked over to his other side at Bertholdt, who was struggling in a blade lock against a burly Garrison man twice his size. The man heaved and sent Bertholdt flying back off his feet, crashing against one of the abandoned cannons head-first.

 _Protect,_ pulsed the Armored Titan, guiding the better half of Reiner’s mind into control. _Protect._

Braun was too far away to reach Bertholdt with his blades and body, but several of the Garrison had left guns behind as they fled from Mikasa. Reiner snatched one up, aimed down the primitive sight and almost froze again. _Protect them._

The gun fired and the Garrison man fell backwards, clutching at his shoulder as Bertholdt shook the stars out of his eyes and stabbed forward.

The body hit the top of the Wall and Reiner ran forward to join his fellow Warrior, the new affirmation pulsing in his head like a mantra. _Protect. Protect. Protect._

A black flare fired from further along the Wall and it was answered by several dozen green flares as horses emerged from the trees. The two Warriors had dealt with the immediate Garrison soldiers around them and paused to look at one another, splattered with blood again. Reiner spoke first. “How’re you doing?”

Bertholdt looked grim and there was a slightly maniac look in his eyes as he stabbed down, ending the life of one of the soldiers Reiner had left alive, but with dislocated shoulders. “I should be asking you that, Reiner.”

“I’m doing fine,” he lied. “Protecting you guys is keeping me busy enough right now.” He attempted a smile, but something in his friend’s expression told him it wasn’t landing. The host of the Armored Titan shrugged it off and leaned over the Wall, only to jerk back as Eren Jaeger’s steaming body skipped upwards along the surface of Wall Rose, leaving stains as the formerly white structure began to more closely resemble the color it was named for.

Below, the Female Titan winced at each skip, but saw a speck dive off the Wall and swoop back up with Eren in their grasp. _Okay, so that’s harder than it looks,_ she admitted as Annie turned her head to look at Armin.

“Oh, no way!” said Armin with a squeak of fright as he rapped his bone-dry gas canisters. “I gave you guys all my gas, remember? And I can’t exactly heal like Eren can.”

Annie’s eyes darted out towards the Survey Corps, who were getting closer, along with a distant Will. _Oh look,_ called the Guardian as she twirled silver wire the Titan Will could see even from this distance _. It’s the other Titan who barely escaped my son._

 _“We need to leave”_ said Annie’s Titan with some of her Will’s urgency as Armin shook his head and clung to a strand of her hair.

“You’re not going to like this Annie, but maybe we should talk to them?”

The Titan scoffed as Armin pressed his case. “The Survey Corps is the most independent and dynamic of the Legions, because they’re least-favored by the King. If we want to get to the Founding Titan, I’m sure they’d help us if they learned what’s at stake!”

He gestured at the Wall itself, stained with blood. “We could show them, right here.”

Annie hesitated. It was a bold, dangerous, reckless plan, but it had possibilities. She glanced up at the sky, which was studded with clouds, then at the sun, which was still low enough to leave part of the Wall in shadow. Even if this went wrong and she unleashed a Mindless Colossal, the entire Survey Corps could probably take it out. Or the little bastard who’d taken her arm off in Trost. Either way, the distraction would let them get away and further into the Walls.

 _I don’t know if he’s a genius or if he’s insane,_ commented the Female Titan as Armin explained his plan, knowing Annie couldn’t hear her. _But you picked an interesting one, Annie Leonhardt._

_____________________________________________

Eren’s world blossomed back into color as his eyes regenerated, and the first thing he saw was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Reiner and Mikasa’s faces peering at him in concern.

“Eren, blink twice if you understand us.”

He blinked twice, then tried to speak, only for an inarticulate gargle to come out instead. He looked down and quickly closed his eyes in shock, but the image of his steaming, half-connected body without an arm and a leg was going to linger behind his eyelids for some time. Reiner breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, he’s alive and more or less in one piece. If we ever get back home, War Chief Zeke is going to have to give Annie some aiming lessons.”

Bertholdt laughed while Mikasa still looked worried. “You’re sure he’ll be alright?”

“He’s already healing,” said Reiner as he gestured to various parts of Eren’s form. “Look, most of his face is already back and at least the leg will be fixed by the end of the day. His chest already closed up.”

 _Yes, yes, I bestow an above-average healing factor,_ said the Attack Titan as it kept working on regrowing Eren’s nose, which was otherwise spread across two meters of Wall Rose. _Now, where’s my sister? I want to chew her out for that stunt._

 _You gave us the idea,_ pointed out Colossal. _Don’t be angry that you just had the worst of it. Especially since you said this was your revenge on Guardian._

The Attack Titan could, in fact, heal Eren and sulk at the same time, while Mikasa caressed Eren’s cheek, following the span of intact skin. “The important thing is that he’s alright.”

Doing his best to ignore the jealousy that writhed in his chest, Bertholdt looked down as the Female Titan clambered up the wall before suddenly stopping.

________________________________________________

Erwin Smith strived to maintain an image as a Commander with calm authority, who remained in control no matter the situation, and who had an answer, however makeshift for every situation. However, these Titans, one of whom was currently clambering up the sheer surface of Wall Rose, were testing that image severely. They’d been able to hide in the Forest of Giant Trees, according to a rushed report by Lenz and Ymir, something Hanji had guessed at idly, but had dismissed as unlikely that very morning over tea. They’d led his Legion on a chase the entire morning, making them look like absolute idiots, and now the top of Wall Rose was dripping red. So Erwin gave the order that his entire command structure had no doubt been anticipating since they woke up.

“Captain Levi,” he said as loudly as he could. “Take your squad and carve Annie Leonhardt out of that thing.”

“ _Erwin Smith_ ” hissed the Female Titan and even Levi momentarily froze halfway out of his saddle as Hanji gasped in joy at another talking Titan. “ _Pay attention_.”

She swung sideways and Levi Squad almost took flight before a hand from Erwin halted them in their tracks as it became clear Leonhardt was not escaping, merely adjusting her hold on the wall. Instead of facing forward to climb it, she was now dangling by an arm, followed by digging crystallized heels into the stone to steady herself. She held up her free hand to display the sharpened crystalline claws that had formed around her fingers and plunged them into the wall, before ripping a chunk out. Several soldiers ducked as stray debris flew their way, but again, the Female Titan did not attack, she simply held the chunk out away from Wall Rose, letting them see what was inside.

A massive, red fleshy hand. A Titan’s hand.

There were gasps and some curses as the Survey Corps realized what they were looking at. “ _Dangerous_ ,” rasped the Female Titan. “ _Must stop the Founder, at all costs_.”

A small figure tugged at her hair and the Titan rolled her eyes even as Hanji and many of the other soldiers began to pepper her with questions.

“What’s the Founder?”

“How did Titans get into our Walls?”

“Why are you here?”

“What do you want?”

“Annie Leonhardt!” bellowed Erwin as he felt more than saw Levi tense up. “Why show us this?”

Annie’s expression hardened and she pointed at the hand with one crystalline finger. “ _You are not afraid_.”

As Erwin’s mind rushed to consider all the possible implications of that statement, the hand twitched, prompting cries of alarm from the Scouts around him and true, naked fear from the Female Titan. She struggled to fit the chunk of Wall back into its hole, and barely succeeded as the Titan’s hand movements had increased. For one terrifying instant, Erwin swore that the Wall had started _breathing_ , before it stilled. With her arm now free, she swept her arm out, indicating the breadth of Wall Rose. “ _If they walk_ ,” she said, still with fear so clearly stamped across her face, “ _everything dies_.”

She then held up one finger to her lips, the signal for silence across the Walls. “ _Don’t tell._ ”

With that parting shot, she turned and began to clamber up the Wall again, leaving the Survey Corps in stunned silence. Erwin rallied fastest of all save Hanji, who was staring at the wounded Wall with wonder. “It’s healing,” she breathed before turning to Erwin. “Commander, permission to observe from up close?”

“Granted,” said Erwin at once. “And bring me back every scrap of rubble that fell, I want as much as you can give me.”

Hanji and her squad galloped off with a whoop of excitement from their leader as Erwin gazed up at the retreating Titan. With all limbs occupied on the Wall, she was very vulnerable and likely knew that. He hesitated, feeling the moment balance between two possible outcomes, depending on his next order. She was already halfway up the Wall. “Levi Squad,” murmured Erwin. "Make a show of attacking, but allow her to escape.” He continued speaking over the outrage from Petra, Oluo, and Gunter. “Levi,” he said quietly, knowing the short man could hear him from his absolute stillness. “Invite her to tea.”

The former criminal gave him a Look, which Erwin absorbed with no visible reaction. “Is that your polite way of saying, ‘bring me her head’?”

“We have extra black tea, don’t we?” said Erwin, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“That’s mine,” said Levi. “I cheated it off Nile fair and square. Did you forget the people we just finished burying?”

“You know I haven’t,” said Erwin. “Now go Captain.”

Levi jerked his head in a short nod and vanished on a pillar of gas, the billowing capes of his squad behind him. Erwin sat back in his saddle and began ordering the squads to spread out to reach the top of the Wall, giving the Female Titan a wide berth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my goal when I started writing this morning was to get Mikasa laid on Valentine's Day, but dialogue and fighting took up more time than I expected. So that scene might have to wait, alas. 
> 
> Mikasa impersonates a Beyblade this chapter and celebrates Valentine's Day by dyeing Wall Rose pink. Eren gets to know what it feels like to be a stone skipped across water. Meanwhile Reiner's fine. He's fine.
> 
> Think of the fragment of Wall Annie ripped out like a puzzle piece, she's able to fit it back in relatively smoothly and the Wall's "healing ability" will smooth over the cracks.


End file.
